2 way lighting problem

[Matthew Hall]

i have taken over from a part P "electrician" and i cannot for the life of me work out what the guy has done.

there are 3gang and a 2 gang switches

the three gang switch controls

Switch 1 Kitchen light run 1
switch 2 kitchen light run 2
switch 3 dining room light understairs cupboard

dining room and cupboard feed were taken from the old light run me not realising and from what client said he ran all new cable got a nice shock from it thinking it was dead as mcb's were down on the two kitchen runs

the guy ran new cable for the lights the two kitchen runs were on seperate MCB's and on two seperate runs as stated above run one and run two

the 2 gang switch is as follows
Switch 1 PIR outside light
Switch 2 kitchen light run 1

this is not how the client wanted it to be wired so i have now change it to how the client wants

three gang now controls

Switch 1 controls kitchen lights
Switch 2 controls dining room light
switch 3 controls cupboard light

2 gang switch is still the same as above but the second switch now controls all the kitchen lights

ok so now to the problem i have.

if the switch at the 2gang is off the 3 gang light cant turn the lights on and visa versa, without ripping into there brand new plastered celing and walls how can i fix this problem

how its wired so far from what i can tell

live feed goes to comon on 2 gang switch then strappers go from l1 to l1 on the 2 gang switch the l2 goes to common on 3 gang switch and the conductor to siwtch goes into l2 goes to light

the guy has used 3 core and earth and has terminal blocked the white with neutral at both switches

how can i get them working so no matter what switch posistion they work independently

any help would be great

many thanks

 

[telectrix]

i don't think this can be diagnosed remotely on a forum. it's got me confused already.

 

[Plonker 3]

i don't think this can be diagnosed remotely on a forum. it's got me confused already.

My thoughts too. If I was the OP I think I would be belling out every cable to find out which ones go where and work it out from there.

 

[RogertheBodger]

Yes confusing terminology, can you do a diagram?

 

[robie]

Hi it sounds like he's used the live feed as the common at one switch so the light should be wired into the common at the other switch leaving the 2 strappers 1-1 and 2-2 the same at each switch. This is how conduit wiring is done, to save space in the conduit. I hope this helps

 

[Matthew Hall]

Hi it sounds like he's used the live feed as the common at one switch so the light should be wired into the common at the other switch leaving the 2 strappers 1-1 and 2-2 the same at each switch. This is how conduit wiring is done, to save space in the conduit. I hope this helps

im sure i tried that before but it didnt work before but does now many thanks for that.

thank you robie

thanks for all the responses

 

[Mr.Ian]

Surely it's just a case of getting a permanent live supply to each of the switch gangs, single supply to triple n live loop off to other gangs ???? all wiring can stay but with only single feed, or am I missing something?

 

[jimmymac]

Reminds me of the song by Orange Juice "rip it up and start again":drummer:

Sounds like you've got alot of 'bleepin out' to do

 

[Mr.Ian]

Confused with this ???? has he run 2 live feeds each on own mcb to a 3 way switch to power lights in the same kitchen ??????

 

[sedgy34]

bell them out and start again

 

[RogertheBodger]

Surely it's just a case of getting a permanent live supply to each of the switch gangs, single supply to triple n live loop off to other gangs ???? all wiring can stay but with only single feed, or am I missing something?

Yeah you're missing post #6 where he's got it sorted thanks to robie.

 

[sedgy34]

i have taken over from a part P "electrician" and i cannot for the life of me work out what the guy has done.

there are 3gang and a 2 gang switches

the three gang switch controls

Switch 1 Kitchen light run 1
switch 2 kitchen light run 2
switch 3 dining room light understairs cupboard

dining room and cupboard feed were taken from the old light run me not realising and from what client said he ran all new cable got a nice shock from it thinking it was dead as mcb's were down on the two kitchen runs

the guy ran new cable for the lights the two kitchen runs were on seperate MCB's and on two seperate runs as stated above run one and run two

the 2 gang switch is as follows
Switch 1 PIR outside light
Switch 2 kitchen light run 1

this is not how the client wanted it to be wired so i have now change it to how the client wants

three gang now controls

Switch 1 controls kitchen lights
Switch 2 controls dining room light
switch 3 controls cupboard light

2 gang switch is still the same as above but the second switch now controls all the kitchen lights

ok so now to the problem i have.

if the switch at the 2gang is off the 3 gang light cant turn the lights on and visa versa, without ripping into there brand new plastered celing and walls how can i fix this problem

how its wired so far from what i can tell

live feed goes to comon on 2 gang switch then strappers go from l1 to l1 on the 2 gang switch the l2 goes to common on 3 gang switch and the conductor to siwtch goes into l2 goes to light

the guy has used 3 core and earth and has terminal blocked the white with neutral at both switches

how can i get them working so no matter what switch posistion they work independently

any help would be great

many thanks

the connector block could be a feed not a neutral, sounds like the feed is being switched from the 2g switch.

 

[Mr.Ian]

yeah you're missing post #6 where he's got it sorted thanks to robie.

aha !!!!!

 

[Guitarist]

I'm assuming that by "taking over", you are expected to finish off and give the installation an EIC?

 

[micknew]

I'm assuming that by "taking over", you are expected to finish off and give the installation an EIC?

Don't be silly!