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hall and landing light switch

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  • 18-02-2015 9:00pm
    #1
    nedjordan
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭


    hi i have two light switches which work the hall and landing lights, i replaced the two switches, now only the up stairs switch will turn on the lights, the one down stairs wont work, i have checked both switches the on up stairs has a live feed going in but the one down stairs has no live in, my question is should there be a live feed into both switches when there are both in the off position


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    #2
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    You have mixed up strappers and switch wires and feeds. Any electrician can sort that in a minute or 2.

    To get any possible assistance here would require photos of both, and even then it might be tricky to tell from here, but the electrician is best option. Countless times I got calls from people I know, after swapping them switches, and then don't work.


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    #3
    nedjordan
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭nedjordan


    thank you very much for reply, one switch has 2wires going to it of which one wire is live i have that feed into "com", and the other wire into "on", that switch works fine, the other switch has 4wires but i have no idea which is live cause when i test each wire with the screwdriver none of them show as live,


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    #4
    aido79
    Registered Users Posts: 5,374 ✭✭✭aido79


    nedjordan wrote: »
    thank you very much for reply, one switch has 2wires going to it of which one wire is live i have that feed into "com", and the other wire into "on", that switch works fine, the other switch has 4wires but i have no idea which is live cause when i test each wire with the screwdriver none of them show as live,

    Sounds like it might be an intermediate switch. Did the switch you took off have 4 terminals?


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


    You wouldn't know what way it's wired. Could be switch feed from downstairs switch looped to landing, then strappers down, and switch wire back up to landing light.

    Or could be 3 loop feed wires at downstairs light switch. If that was the case, other lights probably won't be working.

    No mention was made of 3 switching positions for landing light. You never know though.

    Someone who knows what they are at is probably needed now.


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    #6
    aido79
    Registered Users Posts: 5,374 ✭✭✭aido79


    Bruthal wrote: »
    You wouldn't know what way it's wired. Could be switch feed from downstairs switch looped to landing, then strappers down, and switch wire back up to landing light.

    Or could be 3 loop feed wires at downstairs light switch. If that was the case, other lights probably won't be working.

    No mention was made of 3 switching positions for landing light. You never know though.

    Someone who knows what they are at is probably needed now.

    True. The only way to do it will be to get someone who knows what they're doing to have a look at it.


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    #7
    adrian92
    Registered Users Posts: 566 ✭✭✭adrian92


    It may be helpful if you could say how many terminals there are on each of the two switches. Also, how many cable(s) are terminated at each terminal of each switch. Photos, as earlier suggestion would be good. Also - you said you changed the switches . why? Did the previous switches ever work? How old is the installation?
    Many questions, I know, but as much information that you can provide will help in arriving at a solution.


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    #8
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    The number of terminals might not tell much. A 2 gang switch is usually a double 2 way. According to the description, a 2 way and single way is the setup downstairs. So if it was a 2 gang 2 way, one terminal would have been empty. Either way, its likely 5 terminals are needed whether it is a 2 gang 2 way or 2 separate switches of any description.

    A 2 way can be used as 1 way.

    An intermediate switch can be used as 1 way, 2 way, or intermediate.

    How many wires at each switch terminal seems of little help, as the op said they replaced switches, and now they dont work.


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    #9
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    aido79 wrote: »
    True. The only way to do it will be to get someone who knows what they're doing to have a look at it.
    Still could be intermediate though. Maybe the op forget to mention a third switch for the landing.

    A couple of questions I'd ask are

    Is there definitely only 2 switches for the landing light.
    Are all other lights working in the house.
    How many wires of all 3 switches (hall 2 + landing) are live.

    Put photos of all 3 switches, indicating which wires are live.

    Preferably though, get an electrician to fix it in 5 minutes.


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    #10
    CJ Haughey
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 449 ✭✭CJ Haughey


    Very unlikely its an intermediate and a 2 way switch on a single plate. 2 gang switch, if it were an intermediate and a 2 way switch on a grid the op would have an extra wire left over.


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    #11
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    CJ Haughey wrote: »
    Very unlikely its an intermediate and a 2 way switch on a single plate. 2 gang switch, if it were an intermediate and a 2 way switch on a grid the op would have an extra wire left over.
    We know its very unlikely to be an intermediate. But we are not absolutely certain its a two gang switch.

    Op has 6 wires at the 2 switches. That would seem right for an intermediate and single way with no loop on feed. But intermediate is unlikely. But we can not be certain of anything without some back feed...

    If it was a live feed and loop, sw for hall, Strappers for landing, 5 are needed. He has 6. So it could be extra loop feed jammed in, or the landing 2 way has a feed into it, so sw to landing light comes from hall switch. Or there was porch light, but not any more.

    Endless possibilities. Op has not come back on any questions, so its all complete guessing now.


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