Intermediate switch problem - Please Help!!!

[harrison2987]

Hi Guys,

I have just been in a house that is experiencing problems with a hall/landing light and the 5 (yes 5!!!) switches that control it.

So here's the layout:

There is a 3 gang dimmer on the ground floor with one gang for the light in question

3 intermediate switches on the landing (landing is horse shoe shaped and there is a switch outside each bedroom door)

1 gang 3 way switch outside the bathroom.

At face value it all looks like its wired correctly. There is a common, L1 and L2 at the dimmer, and the same at the 1 gang switch, and L1 L1 in L2 L2 out at all 3 intermediates.

I can turn the light on and off at each individual switch, but when i turn the light on at 1 switch and off at another the switches then don't work at all and i have to go back to the dimmer switch to turn the light on again.

Can anyone help me solve this problem so that any switch can be operated at any time to turn the light on and off.

Cheers

 

[Aindowsimon]

3 way is a switch that has a common (C) and L1 and L2 terminals

2 way just has a common and L1

Haha !! C'mon there is a statement from a Electrical Trainee ( with 2391!!! ) if I ever heard one

 

[telectrix]

confusion between no. of ways and no. of terminals. standard of teaching is going down to socialist levels.

 

[harrison2987]

Haha !! C'mon there is a statement from a Electrical Trainee ( with 2391!!! ) if I ever heard one

Time served actually, full 4 years. No excuse for gettng that wrong other than me being stupid.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

One strapper is open circuit between the two switches that have to be in particular positions for the light to work, or one of those switches has a faulty contact. Should find it in 2 minutes with a multimeter.

Edit: I read your description again and it's ambiguous - there are other possibilities according to exactly what you mean.

 

[telectrix]

fair play to owning up. :clap:

 

[7029 dave]

Time served actually, full 4 years. No excuse for gettng that wrong other than me being stupid.

learning all the time, learning all the time lol:yes:

 

[Des 56]

Why have you not answered the questions being asked of you ?


Is this switching system fed at a switch with strappers between,then a switched feed to the light at the last switch or
Is there a feed and switch feed at the first switch, then 3 core between the intermediates and the last 2 way

Considering your "switch way" terminology I have this sneaky feeling,you have a diy job and there will be a core missing
The terminology of the switches ways doesnt help

 

[snowhead]

Until all the new questions have been answered I'd go for 1 intermediate switch faulty .

Either test with a meter and someone switching each switch or link out each Inter 1 at a time.

 

[Aindowsimon]

No worries , I had images of you in wholesaler asking for 1gang 3way switch's and 2 gang pull switch's ect... . My money is on a faulty switch not making contact ? From my experiences with these kinda things

 

[Octopus]

So disconnect the cable to the light from the first switch and undertake some basic dead tests. Time to get your wander lead out and a large piece of paper

 

[plugsandsparks]

If it ever worked, you have a switch or wire fault, it will be the last one you test

 

[mark ju]

Until all the new questions have been answered I'd go for 1 intermediate switch faulty .

Either test with a meter and someone switching each switch or link out each Inter 1 at a time.

Exactly what I had in mind. Had something similar other day with a light controlled from four switch positions. Lad I was working with gave up on it so I had a quick look. Turned out to be a duff intermediate. Brand new it was but obviously didn't want to be a switch anymore.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Exactly what I had in mind. Had something similar other day with a light controlled from four switch positions. Lad I was working with gave up on it so I had a quick look. Turned out to be a duff intermediate. Brand new it was but obviously didn't want to be a switch anymore.

Did it want to be a tomato?

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Harrison

stick with it man, read through whats been said here, you already have the answer here, and take the digs on the chin too, use them positively. Lighting is the trickiest thing sometimes.

Spartykus

 

[tazz]

This is common on plant rooms, when using multi intermediate switches...mainly one strapper set are the wrong way round ...its like a combination lock try to find it as until you switch in a certain order for the fault show up........full test or link out all intermediates and reconnect one as a time, switching and testing every connected switch....