Hi, bit new to this so bare with me. I'm changing my current double switch with a new one but thought I knew where the wires go but dont :-S

I have 2 reds, 2 blacks and 2 earth's (which are attatched to the metal casing). my new switch has L1, COM and L2 on both switches. One of the red wires has a sticker saying 'L' or 'i', bit faded but guessing its an L for live.

Could anyone please help me? Thanks

Hamid Jivani, January 2010

Put one black in com 1 and the other black in 2.
Then put one red in each of the remaining holes,then red loop from one red to the other red. The earths stay were they are. If when you switch on the switches are upside down just turn the whole switch around.

Flacheel, February 2010

ok I kinda get that. So attatch Live to com, then a connecting red wire from com to com and attatch both black wires to the 2 L1 sockets.. right? But then that leaves one red wired... what to do with that?

Btw I have one light working as follows. ON SWITCH 1: Live (I think) to com then attatched red wire from SWITCH 1 com to SWITCH 2 com then other red wire on SWITCH 2 L1. No black wires are attatched to anything. Result is SWITCH 2 works only. :-S

Hamid Jivani, January 2010

ok I kinda get that. So attatch Live to com, then a connecting red wire from com to com and attatch both black wires to the 2 L1 sockets.. right? But then that leaves one red wired... what to do with that?

Btw I have one light working as follows. ON SWITCH 1: Live (I think) to com then attatched red wire from SWITCH 1 com to SWITCH 2 com then other red wire on SWITCH 2 L1. No black wires are attatched to anything. Result is SWITCH 2 works only. :-S

Hamid Jivani, January 2010

A simple switch with Com, L1 and L2 is arranged to connect Com to L1 when the switch is in one position and Com to L2 in the other position.

The usual arrangement is to place the permanent live wire in the Com terminal hole and its associated Black wire in either L1 or L2 - it doesn't really matter which.

The Black wire sometimes confuses people because it looks like a neutral conductor - it isn't it's Switched Live - used to turn the light on and off - it should ideally have a red or brown sleeve on it at each end as a safety warning.

Lord Finchley tried to mend the Electric Light
Himself. It struck him dead: And serve him right!
It is the business of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisian.

Take care...

Peccavi, January 2010