3 gang light switch issues, is it wired incorrectly?

[Catch_0x16]

Hello all.

For years now I've used Phillips Hue smart bulbs in my 3, ceiling mounted lounge lights and have therefore never needed to switch them individually.

I've recently redecorated and moved to a light fixture that cannot take Phillips Hue smart bulbs, so I have decided to go from a 3 gang switch, to a three dimmer switch. However, when I was idly switching the light switches to see which light was which, I realised some odd behaviour, and it now throws me into doubt regarding wiring up the dimmer switches.

Lights are listed 1, 2 and 3, as per the image below named 'Lounge.jpg'. Their corresponding switches are labelled in image 'FrontOfSwitch.jpg'.

The problem is that in order to switch on lights 2, or 3, 1 must also be on. It is possible to have light 1 on, 2 off and 3 on, or light 1 on, 2 on and 3 off, but if light 1 is ever off, lights 2 and 3 will not turn on.

Is this a limitation of the wiring to the lights (i.e. they all spur off 1), or is this simply an incorrectly wired switch?

Furthermore, would it be possible to switch to a three gang dimmer switch, and be able to address each light individually?

Many thanks!

 

[UNG]

The way you are saying it is working suggests the wires connected in L1 an L2 on switch 1 are reversed with L2 being the live and the wire to L1 is the switch wire if you isolate the lighting circuit and swap the wires round on switch 1 leaving the link wires as they are all the switches should then work independently,

 

[Catch_0x16]

Ah amazing, thanks UNG! All working now.

Can you see any reason that a dimmer set-up wouldn't work here? I can't.

 

[UNG]

No it should work ok if you have LED lamps they need to be dimmable and make sure you get a dimmer that is suitable for dimmable LED lamps

 

[Catch_0x16]

Nice one, thanks. I didn't realise that the dimmer also had to be compatible with LED's, the more you know!