Bang went the light switch...

[Tazzy666uk]

Hi, I am just after some thoughts on the below. I am getting the electrician back but I would like to be a bit more clued up.

So i have a newly wired kitchen with a 2 gang 2 way light switch. Only one switch is wired as will become apparent). The kitchen lights work fine and have a switch at each end of the room. I had 3 outside lights fitted when it was being built, but only one cable was run to the switch so presumably they are joined in the roof.
The lights didn't have bulbs when fitted so the electrician left the cable coiled in the backbox. My husband fitted the bulbs and thought it was a simple case of connecting the brown and blue across the second switch. He did this, and when he switched the power back on, nothing happened, but when he then flicked the light switch that he had just wired, there was a big flash from the switch and the main board light circuit tripped. The switch is a rocker one and it doesn't rock anymore either... Obviously this is not meant to happen, but does it sound like something wired wrong beyond the switch, or is it possible this is not actually a switch wire?
Thanks, Cassey x

 

[Tazzy666uk]

Hi, I am just after some thoughts on the below. I am getting the electrician back but I would like to be a bit more clued up.

So i have a newly wired kitchen with a 2 gang 2 way light switch. Only one switch is wired as will become apparent). The kitchen lights work fine and have a switch at each end of the room. I had 3 outside lights fitted when it was being built, but only one cable was run to the switch so presumably they are joined in the roof.
The lights didn't have bulbs when fitted so the electrician left the cable coiled in the backbox. My husband fitted the bulbs and thought it was a simple case of connecting the brown and blue across the second switch. He did this, and when he switched the power back on, nothing happened, but when he then flicked the light switch that he had just wired, there was a big flash from the switch and the main board light circuit tripped. The switch is a rocker one and it doesn't rock anymore either... Obviously this is not meant to happen, but does it sound like something wired wrong beyond the switch, or is it possible this is not actually a switch wire?
Thanks, Cassey x

I forgot to say, the electrician left it coiled as we was having an identical switch in a different colour fitted

 

[UNG]

Can you post a picture of the wiring to the switch and any wires that are connected in the box

 

[Dustydazzler]

Best Guess you have wired the neutral in with the switch

 

[westward10]

One of two things as above you have connected live and neutral across the switch with the wires you had available or there is a fault on the circuit. As above can you show the wiring.

 

[Tazzy666uk]

One of two things as above you have connected live and neutral across the switch with the wires you had available or there is a fault on the circuit. As above can you show the wiring.

Hi guys, i will get a picture when my hubby is home. Just to let you know, the switch is a double switch, both independent and separate on the plate. the kitchen circuit works fine on the left switch, and it was just a coiled twin and earth cable that was coiled up. this was 100% not crossed with the left switch and was simply connected on the right switch common and L1. As my hubby says, flicking the switch was the same as joining the blue and brown wire together of the coiled cable. x

 

[davesparks]

As my hubby says, flicking the switch was the same as joining the blue and brown wire together of the coiled cable.

Joining brown to blue is generally a good way to cause a dangerous situation and a loud bang.

I'd say if you've all walked away from this uninjured then you should count yourselves lucky and leave it for the electrician to fix.