2 way switching configuration HELP

[DaveChase]

Good evening All,

After perusing the forum as a visitor for a while I have now found the need to ask you ladies and gents for your help and advice.

I have a customer with 2 way switching controlling the 1st floor landing light, it consists of a 2 gang switch downstairs (hallway & landing) and 1 gang upstairs, standard.

The problem is that the downstairs switch has been removed with intent to replace it with a decorative one and I cannot work out how to wire it back up.

It is not what I know as 'standard' 2 way wiring....

Upstairs switch (untouched) has -

(2 x neutrals in a connector block),
3 x reds in L1,
2 x blacks in L2,
1 x red in COM.

Downstairs switch has (all now disconnected) -

Downstairs light (1 way) -
1 x red
1 x black

Spare (all now disconnected) -
1 x red
1 x black

He also mentioned there was a piece of red wire about 1 inch long in the switch that hedropped....would this be a bridge of some kind?

 

[chris gray]

Identification of all conductors needs to be ascertained before any further assistance can be forwarded

 

[DaveChase]

So, the 3 reds in the upstairs switch appear to be as below:

1 - perm live
2 - feed to rest of upstairs lights
3 - feed to landing light via downstairs switch

So basically the loop?

 

[chris gray]

Ok. So you’ve identified some of the conductors, what about the other ones?

 

[Richard Burns]

You do not have enough cores to be able to wire this safely as two way switching if the downstairs light works on its own and the supply for the upstairs is coming from the upstairs switch.

 

[DaveChase]

Downstairs I have the red live feed from the upstairs 'loop' in com with a black switch wire from L1 coming back up and into a connector block upstairs, this is then joined to another black which goes somewhere....

 

[Octopus]

You need a wonder lead, a tester, some paper and a pencil ....

 

[chris gray]

And identification of all conductors

 

[chris gray]

The attached photographic evidence would make me believe that all is not as described

 

[Octopus]

Hidden jbs anyone ?

 

[DaveChase]

I will have a go tomorrow to try and id by continuity but if there are Jbs somewhere it could be a nightmare

 

[DaveChase]

What do you mean Chris?

 

[chris gray]

What I mean is : the cpc is being identified as a neutral in your photo

 

[DaveChase]

As in I have identified them as neutrals and you are saying they are CPCs?

 

[chris gray]

Potentially

 

[kenneth_cohan]

If he identifies all the cores, he’ll be able to work it out himself.