I recently began to change a 2 gang 2 way switch, it serves the lights in the hall way that can be switched on/off at either end of the hall, and also and outside light that can be switched on/off from the inside or the garage, the old MK switch has 8 posible connection points the new one only has six (L1,L2,L3) there are 6 wires, 2 black and 4 red the earth connects directly to the back plate (unsheathed) on the original switch to of the connections are used at the top of the switch and all 4 at the bottom of the switch, when I disconnected the socket I identified that 1 black and one red are not live, 3 red and 1 black are live. My house is circa 1960's - so does not have the update todate wire colourings. Please can somebody help with this connundrum?
Lord Finchley tried to mend the Electric Light
Himself. It struck him dead: And serve him right!
It is the business of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan.
For each lamp...
Live---Switch A---Two conductors---Switch B ---Lamp---Neutral
Usually live passes between the switches on one cable with Red & Black wires - The Black in this configuration is NOT Neutral and must be identified with a Red (sometimes Brown) sleeve to show that it's dangerous. Throw either switch and the lamp changes its state.
Draw the circuit for one lamp - Identify Live into just one switch box - identify the cable between the switches - identify the cable from the other switch to the lamp. DO NOT GUESS. Consider employing a certified person.
Peccavi
October 2008
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