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Light stays on

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  • 21-01-2011 2:23pm
    #1
    Buford T Justice
    Registered Users Posts: 6,259 ✭✭✭


    Hi Guys

    I have two lights in a hall, one upstairs and one downstairs. Both lights are looped together and should switch on / off. The light switches upstairs & downstairs switches the light upstairs on and off perfectly, but the light downstairs is on permanently and the switches don't turn it off.

    Is there something obvious that I'm missing here, or has anyone any ideas?


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    #2
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users Posts: 5,379 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    Fingers McGee wrote: »
    Hi Guys

    I have two lights in a hall, one upstairs and one downstairs. Both lights are looped together and should switch on / off. The light switches upstairs & downstairs switches the light upstairs on and off perfectly, but the light downstairs is on permanently and the switches don't turn it off.

    Is there something obvious that I'm missing here, or has anyone any ideas?

    Can you draw up the circuit you have with MS Paint so we can see?

    What way do you want the system to work? Eg both lights come on together and can be switched by the switch down stairs or upstairs?

    When you say "Both lights are looped together and should switch on / off." What do you mean? Clearly both lights aren't connected together.

    The light down-stairs is receiving permanent power from some where, my guess would be its getting permanent power from the switch in the hall.

    You need to stop the light in the hall getting permanent power. Then connect the live from the light downstairs to the live going to the light upstairs. If this is a typically 3 Bed house, you'll have to run an extra length of 1.5mm brown either between the 2 lights, or at the very least between the 2 switch points and make suitable connections.


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    #3
    Mike2006
    Registered Users Posts: 689 ✭✭✭Mike2006


    Check that the switch wire from the switch to the light fitting is not wired into the supply (com) contact of the switch along with the permanent live to the switch.

    Thats the only thing I can think of at the moment...

    Mike.


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    #4
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    Have you replaced switches lately
    Have you fitted light fittings lately
    Some light points have a permanent live at them
    Check that you havnt inadvertently connected light fitting into this connection
    Turn power off for safety while working on electrics


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    #5
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Sounds like you have replaced or done something with a switch alright, and mixed up the hall light switch wire in with the switch feed.


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    #6
    Buford T Justice
    Registered Users Posts: 6,259 ✭✭✭Buford T Justice


    Thanks for the help guys, I got it licked.

    House was flood damaged so the consumer unit and all electrical switches and accessories were replaced

    Turns out, there are two lights in the hall downstairs controlled by two switches, and one light upstairs controlled by two switches. My initial thought was the upstairs and one of the downstairs lights were on the same switches, but it wasn't. This led to my initial confusion

    What actually happened was, on the ceiling rose on one of the hall lights the supply to the second light was in the loop and not the switch side of the live, so it got permanent power. Changed it to the switch side and all was hunky diddley dory again.

    Thanks for the help guys.


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