kingo110

DIY
Apr 22, 2023
5
3
33
north east
If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
United Kingdom
What type of forum member are you?
DIY or Homeowner (Perhaps seeking pro advice, or an electrician)
As you can see what I have is a right mess, IAM wanting to put a new switch on , but every thing I try either leaves one or two light not working.
Any help would be appreciated
 

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Which one is the original switch.
 
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Nice bit of flex you've bodged in there
 
It's good you took a photo at the beginning. Can you still identify the wires in relation to that though?
You will want to do this on the new switch:
1701894165397.png


The one wire that is live all the time connects to those. (It was originally in La )
The other wires go to lights and they should go to L1 on each switch.
The exception is the right most switch which is setup for 2 way switching and should have the two wires that were in Lc1 and LC2 connected to L1 and L2.

All the wires should be red or brown, or sleeved red or brown.
Blue and Yellow/Green should certainly not be used for link wires.
 
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As you can see what I have is a right mess, IAM wanting to put a new switch on , but every thing I try either leaves one or two light not working.
Any help would be appreciated
Label each cable carefully before removing the existing switch.

Get rid of the incorrectly coloured link wires, green/yellow must never be used for anything other than earth. Use 1.0mm or 1.5mm CSA brown cable to link the commons of the new switches.

Connect an earth from the earth terminal in the back box to the earth terminal on the new switch.

Mark all of the existing black wires with either red sleeving or a wrap of red insulation tape to identify them as live conductors.
 
When ever I find G/Y used as a link / live / phase conductor a small piece of me dies.
And as I come across this a fair bit in domestic re-hash jobs a big part of me has died in this Trade
 
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When ever I find G/Y used as a link / live / phase conductor a small piece of me dies.
And as I come across this a fair bit in domestic re-hash jobs a big part of me has died in this Trade
That's why giving advice in such a situation just doesn't make sense to me.
Simple enough job for someone with the correct knowledge. If not, goodness knows.
Get it done properly.
 
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Location
north east
If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
United Kingdom
What type of forum member are you?
DIY or Homeowner (Perhaps seeking pro advice, or an electrician)

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Title
Light switch swap please help
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UK Electrical Forum
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kingo110,
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