Hi messed up confused. Changing 3 way switch to 2 way switch

[MAAZ KHAN]

Hi im a noobie. I tried connecting the electric cable to a 2 way switch from 3 way and it didnt work. I only connected 4 wires. There was 6 wires in total. 3 blue and 3 brown. If i connect a terminal to it will it fix it lol. Meaning if i connect the 3 blues and brown on 1 side of terminal and other to the switch

 

[Taylortwocities]

Hello
1. What exactly is it that you are trying to do
2. If it is just a switch swop, what is that reel of cable for
3. Post a picture of the old wiring before you disconnected anything (you did do this, didn’t you?)

 

[MAAZ KHAN]

We had spotlights in before and now been removed we have a tube light and them big circle lights. The old wiring was 3 blue in common and the 3 brown in the bottom part think L. Yeh and switch swap from 3 to 2

 

[MAAZ KHAN]

And i thought id show a pic of the cable if needed to use it

 

[The Ghost]

Your earth wires need sleeving.

 

[MAAZ KHAN]

Then how do i connect it like which wires go where. There was a 3 switch before. Will i need to use a terminal

 

[MAAZ KHAN]

If i connect that blue to the common and brown to the live 2 way switch. And the 3 brown to the other side of terminal and blue to other side of terminal will it work??

 

[Taylortwocities]

You should not need any more cable! In anycase, that cable is 2.5mm csa and way too big and unwieldy for lighting applications. Normally we use 1.0mm.

The wires to the switch should be in pairs, blue and brown.
First of all, the two wires that used to go to the switch for the downlights. I hope you know which two they were?
Put those two wires in separate bits of the choc block, to insulate them in case they are still live.

Then you'll have two pairs of brown and blue wires. For each pair.
Put brown in the terminal marked COM and its corresponding blue into thje terminal marked L1.

And as noted above, the eartyh wires need sleeveing in yellow and green sleeve and connecting to the earth terminal on the metal back box.
You should not need to do anything else.

 

[westward10]

It sounds odd the original switch had three cables (six wires) on a three gang switch as this says to me it was three plate and the blues would not have been connected together. If this was done the modern way of bringing the neutral to the switch then three cables is not enough for a three gang switch, the minimum would have been four.

 

[telectrix]

If i connect that blue to the common and brown to the live 2 way switch. And the 3 brown to the other side of terminal and blue to other side of terminal will it work??

View attachment 40836

3 possibilities....

1. it works.

2. it don't work.

3. it goes bang.

 

[MAAZ KHAN]

Does this look right did like you said. Telectrix dont want to die lol

 

[Rpa07]

You’re very patient, you members of this forum and especially on a Saturday.
And no one has said IT yet . . . . .

 

[Rpa07]

What’s that bare conductor on the top left waiting to bite someone?

 

[MAAZ KHAN]

Its a blue

 

[Rpa07]

Is it spare?

 

[MAAZ KHAN]

Yeh and does the wiring look right

 

[westward10]

No it does not. Did the original switch three sets of lights through the three switches.

 

[MAAZ KHAN]

Yeh

 

[westward10]

The problem here is we do not know the original set up but I can only guess it was three plate switching because there were only three cables at the switch. Next problem we do not know how you have altered the wiring and whether the this type of switching is still in situ. We can often tell people what wires go where but sometimes as in your case it is not wise for us to guess and even if you manage to get the correct sequence your connections are so poor you are asking for trouble. So I will say it, employ the services of an electrician.

 

[Taylortwocities]

What’s that bare conductor on the top left waiting to bite someone?

Its a blue

I am having nothing more to do with you.
Get yourself an electrician. There, I have said it.