Electrical advice - light won't turn off

oneilldo

oneilldo

oneilldo

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Joined
16 Jan 2003
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My missus has put up a new light in our hallway downstairs and didnt check exactly how the previous light was wired. Two seperate switches control the light. The problem is that after we have turned the supply back on the light is on all the time and the switches don't seem to do anything.

A few details:
2 way switch - brown / blue / earth coming from 2 separate wires
prev mounting - L /N / loop
new mounting - just L / N

Any idea how we solve this.
 
Thanks for the help. Still not sure exactly what she needs to change though

At the moment we have two wires coming in to the light each of these have brown, blue and earth wires.

The new light only has live and neutral connectivity. She has a live from each wire going into the socket, 1= wire one, 2 = wire two

L L | N N - light fixture connectivity
-------------
L1 L2 | N1 N2

Can you clarify what needs to be changed to get it to work?

Thanks
 
the switched live (should be black with red sleeve to indicate neutral wire that becomes live when you flick the switch) goes to live on the light fitting. The red loop wires all need to be connected to each other (using a connector block if there is no loop on the fitting) the earth's all together, and all the black neutral's (except the switched live) go to the neutral.

Sorry if it's confusing feel free to ask.
 
why couldn't you put them up :)

ceilingroseb2.jpg


does this help
 
do you have 3 set's of wires in total like above^^ (2 from the main circuit and one from the switch)?

do the blue neutral cables differ in any way(red sleeve)?

you need to find out which cable is from the switch
 
Last edited:
You need to find and isolate the common live. (sounds like this is what your light is feeding from)
Got any electrical testers?
Then it's just a matter of flicking switches and identifying the wires.
 
Last edited:
Perywinkle said:
You need to find and isolate the common live. (sounds like this is what your light is feeding from)
Got any electrical testers?
Then it's just a matter of flicking switches and identifying the wires.
Click to expand...

oh yeah... i forgot to tell him to use an electrical tester.... he hasn't posted for a while.... oooppsss :eek:
 
Keyser Soze said:
do you have 3 set's of wires in total like above^^ (2 from the main circuit and one from the switch)?

do the blue neutral cables differ in any way(red sleeve)?

you need to find out which cable is from the switch
Click to expand...

We only have two sets of wires in total. The colours of the wires are brown, blue and earth. The sleeves don't differ on the wires.

I think the issue we have is if we can use it as it stands or if we need an connector as the diagram posted shows so that we can combine wires for the loopback (though the diagram has 3 sets of wires). Could we just twist the wires together and cover with leccy tape?

I do have a multi meter so I could use this if required - might need a dummys guide to which wires to hold them multimeter on whilst testing though.

Perhaps I'll undo it and have a look myself.

Thanks for the helps guys.
 
Once the main's is back on both brown wires will be live and as you flick the switch one of the blue wires will become live use the multi meter to determine which is the switched live.

that then goes to the live connection on the fitting.
the other blue wire goes to the neutral connection.
you then need a connector to join the 2 brown wires together(a plastic coated one) which should then be taped up (red tape) for extra safety.

Technically twisting and taping the 2 live browns together will work but will probably void your house insurance and you may die.
 
oneilldo said:
Its ok, it will be the missus doing it (just renewed the life insurance - high five)
Click to expand...

ok thats ok then, just stick a bucket of water under her feet, smash the lecky tester, tell her to twist everything together hold it in mouth then you flick the switch
 
QlimaxUK said:
ok thats ok then, just stick a bucket of water under her feet, smash the lecky tester, tell her to twist everything together hold it in mouth then you flick the switch
Click to expand...

Turning on your gas hobs is a good trick too. When the house explodes you know it worked.
 
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