Loop at switch - 2 gang switch

[snowhead]

I don't think anyone has asked yet,
Did both switches function correctly before you started, i.e switch specific lights on and off?

If so then someone hadn't done something wrong, it was all working.
What is it you were trying achieve at the start, fitting a new switch or making both switches work if they didn't?

 

[westward10]

I think Loki's pic is nigh on correct. The wiring looks over 40 yrs old and the method is somewhat unusual.

 

[littlespark]

The idea is to identify the cables first, with tape or a little dab from a marker pen on the cables first, then take a photo BEFORE disconnecting anything.
Change switch putting the cables back where they were, according to your original picture.

If all you are doing is swapping reds about, leaving all the blacks together, you wont trip the MCB. Either some, if not all the lights wont work at all, or will be on all the time.

Lights are not wired in a "ring"

You must have 3 lives there if each switch controls only one light each. Its very possible for ease of installation in the first place.

It looks like someone originally saw the switch, looked at "L1" and decided that's where the lives go.

Trial and error, you will get there, but a professional with a test kit would be able to fix in short space of time.

 

[dksanders]

I think I have identified my two live wires, I know that one of them is a grey T&E and the other T&E goes to a light in my cellar, so I attached one to COM and the other to L2 and then attached one of the other red cables to COM, the light in the cellar came on, so presume this means that the ring has completed as it didn't trip? So if I now do the same with the other red cables I should be able to identify the other light's cable and presumably the one that isn't doing anything? Does this sound about right?

That's an awful mess, all the exposed copper at the switch terminals etc.

You don't sound like you know about 2 way switching and you consider a lighting circuit to be a 'ring' so I'll say it, get an electrician in.

 

[Pete999]

Nobody has said 'get an electrician in' yet!

Oh go on then "get an Electrician in to sort your problem out" been dying to say that all day.

 

[Toneyz]

Oh go on then "get an Electrician in to sort your problem out" been dying to say that all day.

Well if he keeps on messing around with the switch he may have to.

 

[Cod58]

Thanks for your replies, I now have the downstairs lights working, I managed to work out which cables made up the loop in the back of the switch and then worked out which wire ran to the cellar lights and which one ran to the light in the kitchen, the other wire is still confusing me though. When connecting the kitchen light it trips the fuse for the lights, am assuming that this would mean there is an issue with either the light fitting itself or the wire leading to it. so, the problem is almost sorted, at least we have some light in the kitchen from under cupboard lights.

 

[Toneyz]

So you have a 2g switch which you are changing to new, one switch does the cellar light(s) the other the ceiling kitchen light. Then how are these under unit kitchen lights switched and what box is this switch mounted on?

 

[littlespark]

under cabinet lights must be off a different circuit - plugged into sockets.
There must be a short between that red and neutral/earth somewhere.
Have you done any other work that may have caused it?
Screwed into a wall and damaged a cable?

A professional with a test kit will be able to find it.

 

[camerabloke]

I bet when he’s connecting 5th cable he’s wiring l and n across the switch.

 

[Toneyz]

under cabinet lights must be off a different circuit - plugged into sockets.
There must be a short between that red and neutral/earth somewhere.
Have you done any other work that may have caused it?
Screwed into a wall and damaged a cable?

A professional with a test kit will be able to find it.

I bet when he’s connecting 5th cable he’s wiring l and n across the switch.

I think we are just guessing here. The O.P. knows from his photo that the red and black was not across the switch. There wasn't this problem before.

 

[Squid]

Did you have a Spirograph.

Etch a Sketch it seems.......