Indoor / Out Door Double Switch HELP!!!

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Ricky Jones, Feb 10, 2020.

  1. Ricky Jones

    Ricky Jones New Member

    Hi All,

    I recently tried changing my plug points, stupidly i didnt take a photo on the way the wiring was. I have decided it would be easier to just put the old light switch on but now i cant get them working.

    The problem.

    Double Light Switch that controls a back garden light and one side of the kitchen. (The kitchen light is double controlled via a second switch)

    I have tried every way i can think of and cannot get both lights working, worth noting the indoor light also isn't working using the second switch. (The bulb hasn't gone and its working some times)

    I have uploaded photos of the wires we have, and the old light switch. I will also post a picture of the new desired light switch incase anyone can help with which way to wire this one.

    White - Existing Socket
    Black - New
    Wires - Apologies for the photo quality, if you can help and need further clarity i can explain what we have .

    Thanks for your help.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    It would help if you posted a picture of the other end of the indoor light switch. Its the link wire that's baffling me at the minute but need to see the other switch to work out why. Is the garden light a wall light that has a sensor and the switch puts its on permanently?
     
  3. Ricky Jones

    Ricky Jones New Member

    Hi Peter,

    Thanks for your message. Do you mean the second switch in the kitchen, if so i have uploaded that.

    The garden light is not a sensor, its on or off and controlled by the switch. So one switch is the kitchen the other is outdoor.
    The photo i've uploaded now is the other side of the kitchen. One switch controls the second light, the other controls the same light as the first switch i uploaded.

    Worth noting, the switch i have uploaded now is working for the single light but not the light that is dual controlled
     

    Attached Files:

  4. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    Have you blown any fuses / tripped any circuit breakers whilst working on the switches ? The metal switch plates must be earthed ,and the one shown in your last pic isn't !! Are there others ?
     
    Deleted member 11267 likes this.
  5. Ricky Jones

    Ricky Jones New Member

    Don't think we have blown any fuses as all lights are working when its wired up different ways -Just not all at the same time. Both switches are earthed into the wall, they cannot be moved
     
  6. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    What do you mean by " switches are earthed into the wall ,they cannot be moved " ?? The switch plate in your pic is metal and it MUST be earthed.
     
    Deleted member 11267 likes this.
  7. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    Without a multimeter and an ability to use it then its going to be quite hard to work this one out, even with a test meter it will be a bit of a challenge even for a spark. The blue cable and grey cable with the blue sleeve are obviously neutral and connect together into the N loop terminal or they can connect together in a terminal block for the new switch.

    To get the 2 way kitchen light working you need to do pretty much the same wiring as the switch at the other end so I would start with putting the brown/black/grey cable on the right into COM/L1/L2 same as the the other end and see what happens. I do think you will have to call someone out to get this sorted though, its not very conventional wiring, first port of call is to find which cable brings the supply to the switch.
     
  8. Ricky Jones

    Ricky Jones New Member

    This is what i mean by the earth wires
     

    Attached Files:

  9. They should be connected to the earth terminal on the switch, then another one run from the switch to where they are presently.
     
    terrymac likes this.
  10. Ricky Jones

    Ricky Jones New Member

    On the original sockets (white oness) there is no place for the earth to be connected
     
  11. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    As Deleted member 11267 advised above ,is what you should do. The white switch is plastic and doesn't need to be earthed.
     

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