help 2 way switch

[demeter]

hello,

just started decorating my new house and need help with the wiring in my hallway where the lights on the hall stairs can be switched on and off from a switch downstairs and up stairs. The switches must control there own landing lights also.

some pics: down stair switch - the left switch turns my downstairs light on/off, the right dose nothing.

a closer look:

upstairs switch the left switch turns my upstairs light on/off, the right dose nothing. The up-stair light also has another switch of its own and this works fine

a closer look:

the stair landing light pic:

a closer look:

hope some one can help.
demeter

 

[Des 56]

You seem to have 3-plate wiring

Downstairs 2-gang switch for 1-way in hall and a 2-way for the landing

Upstairs 2-gang switch for other end of landing 2-way and ?(this should maybe be 1-gang 2 way not 2 gang

If so
Downstairs Connect the red/yellow/blue as follows to the first switch of the downstairs 2-gang
Red to common
Yellow to L1
Blue to L2

Connect the red/Black as follows to the second switch of the downstairs 2-way
Red to L1
Black to L2

Upstairs Change accessory for a 1-gang 2-way then

Connect red to Common

Yelleow to L1
Red to L1 also

Blue to L2
Black to L2


It doesn;t appear that you have enough cores on the existing landing 2-way for connection of the possible second 2-way for the hall light

 

[Had8Lives]

Hi, from what I can understand, the way it was wired when you moved in is as follows (correct me if I'm wrong) :

Hallway - 2 Gang Switch. 1 Switch for Hall Light over stairs, 1 switch for Landing (Wall Lights)
Landing - 2 Gang Switch. 1 Switch for Landing (Wall Lights), 1 Switch for Landing Light.

What you want is :

Hallway - 1 Gang Switch for Hall Light over Stairs
Landing - You will need a 3 Gang Switch. 1 Switch for Hall Light over stairs, 1 Switch for Landing (Wall Lights), 1 Switch for Landing Light.

This would mean you could switch the Hall light over the stairs from the Landing or the Hall and the landing lights would be seperate and only switchable from upstairs.

If I'm correct in what you want I don't mind doing you a diagram. Hope I've been helpful.

 

[adamh]

ive onli glanced at this but is everything working apart from the 2 way downstairs? if so put the yellow core back in the right hand switch in the empty terminal. for the light if its a ceiling rose put the 2 reds in the loop terminal, 1 black in the live side and 1 black in the neutral side as long as your using a std bc lamp holderr happy days, if not get a set of voltage indicators or 1 of those crap screwdriver voltage diode things and touch it carefully with power switched on to both of the blacks in turn if it lights up this is your switched live if not flick the switch and try again. bit of brown tape for future refwerence and there u go only do these things if you feel competent to do so

 

[daver]

Just check out that YELLOW wire in the first pic. Looks like its had a nick from one of the screws.

 

[bigbro]

Dimmer switch problem

i have replaced my dimmer switch with a new one. the old one made the light ficker.. but the new one is doing the same.

any ideas please??

 

[pushrod]

Dimmer switch problem

i have replaced my dimmer switch with a new one. the old one made the light ficker.. but the new one is doing the same.

any ideas please??

Best to start a new thread if you have your own question. However you will need to include more detail eg what type of lights are being dimmed and how many there are - also if there was any reason why you thought the dimmer was at fault in the first place, rating of it and any other history

Hi Demeter,
if i understand you correctly you have 3 lights

1) a downstairs hall light under 1 way controlled from bottom of stairs

2) a lighting point above the stairs (or on the wall) under 2 way control switched at bottom and top of stairs.

3) a light at the top of stairs or in upstairs hall way under 1 way control at the top of the stairs.

If the above is correct ( if not disregard all this) then downstairs switch just needs the yellow (strapper) wire putting in the vacant hole beside the blue (strapper) wire. However the upstairs switch is completely wrong on the right hand side of your photo. The reds that are sharing a hole should just be twisted together in a connector block and one of either of the red and black that are in the bottom should go where the 2 reds are.

I take it the stair landing light photo is the one under 2 way control - if it is the 2 reds are correctly twisted together (both live) but one of those neutrals (black) is actually a switch live and should be sleeved red.
Can i just say that if you are not/do not feel competent you should get someone in who is. Be interested to know if i have understood your original post though

Also, as Daver said, that yellow looks a bit dodgy!