changing light switch covers - help!

[TryC]

Hi All,

 

Was wondering if anyone could offer some help on what has happened when I changed my light switch cover.

 

i changed one with no issues, but then when I went to change another one, it only works upstairs when I push the button but the one downstairs does not turn it on when I push the button. It is an upstairs landing light that has its own switch upstairs and a switch that turns it on and off from downstairs too.

 

Below are some photos. The photo of the switches - the one on the left is the original one, and the one on the right is the new one, but I noted there are more holes in the one on the right (4 vs the 3).

 

I have 5 wires in total 9 ( one red and blue went into the same hole and the other two red ones went into the same hole, then on the bottom, the yellow one wire went in there).

 

I replicated this with the new switch, put the yellow one on the bottom on and it didn't work at first, but then I moved it to the other hole and it was OK, worked.

 

The light switch on the landing worked. However, I realised when I was downstairs, wanting to switch off the light for upstairs, it would not work. The switch downstairs is a two button switch.

 

I also noticed when I went back up to the landing to turn off the light, when i turned it off, then back on, the light actually flickered (or seemed to flicker, it went on, blinked like it went off then back on - not sure if the wires I put into the new switch cover is the reason for this).

 

I was under the impression I wouldn't need to hire an electrician to change a simple thing like a light switch cover - but am I wrong? should I be getting an electrician in for this??

 

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[Gone West]

8 minutes ago, TryC said:

The photo of the switches - the one on the left is the original one, and the one on the right is the new one, but I noted there are more holes in the one on the right (4 vs the 3).

Schneider switches have a connector where all the neutrals can be connected together, for loop-in at switch, which is labelled 'loop'.

[TryC]

2 minutes ago, Gone West said:

Schneider switches have a connector where all the neutrals can be connected together, for loop-in at switch, which is labelled 'loop'.

thanks! may I know which wire is the neutral one?

[dpmiller]

Ignore the loop terminal.

 

The wires that were in the bottom of the old switch should be in the top left of the new (all from rear as per the photo). Common.

 

The two terminals at the top of the old switch are the two on the Right of the new one. Put the wires in these, in the SAME combinations as before.

 

 

[dpmiller]

"normal" British wiring has the loops and neutrals up at the ceiling rose so you don't need to consider that fourth terminal at all.

[TryC]

1 minute ago, dpmiller said:

"normal" British wiring has the loops and neutrals up at the ceiling rose so you don't need to consider that fourth terminal at all.

thanks, the 4th terminal being 'loop' ?

[dpmiller]

yes.

[TryC]

7 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

Ignore the loop terminal.

 

The wires that were in the bottom of the old switch should be in the top left of the new (all from rear as per the photo). Common.

 

The two terminals at the top of the old switch are the two on the Right of the new one. Put the wires in these, in the SAME combinations as before.

 

 

sorry, the abvoe is confusing me.

 

Below shows where the original wires and combos went.

 

 

[ProDave]

What is confusing you is the different layout of the terminals on the new switch.

 

2* reds from old switch top left go to new switch top right.

 

Red and black from old switch top right to go new switch bottom right.

 

Yellow from old switch bottom to go to new switch top left.

 

In this case ignore new switch bottom left.

[TonyT]

You need to look at the existing terminals marked com, L1,L2 and replicate on new switch.

Best to take plenty photos prior.

[TonyT]

May be a simple 2 way switch with 3 core at one switch and the other end at the other switch with a 2core as well 

[TryC]

3 minutes ago, TonyT said:

You need to look at the existing terminals marked com, L1,L2 and replicate on new switch.

Best to take plenty photos prior.

photos above, but thanks

[TryC]

40 minutes ago, ProDave said:

What is confusing you is the different layout of the terminals on the new switch.

 

2* reds from old switch top left go to new switch top right.

 

Red and black from old switch top right to go new switch bottom right.

 

Yellow from old switch bottom to go to new switch top left.

 

In this case ignore new switch bottom left.

thanks very much, i appreciate iy

[TryC]

41 minutes ago, ProDave said:

What is confusing you is the different layout of the terminals on the new switch.

 

2* reds from old switch top left go to new switch top right.

 

Red and black from old switch top right to go new switch bottom right.

 

Yellow from old switch bottom to go to new switch top left.

 

In this case ignore new switch bottom left.

oops, i meant red & blue, is that still into the new switch bottom right please?

[ProDave]

Regardless of colour, what was in old switch top left goes to new switch top right, old switch top right into new switch bottom right and old switch bottom  into new switch top left.

 

 

[TryC]

39 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Regardless of colour, what was in old switch top left goes to new switch top right, old switch top right into new switch bottom right and old switch bottom  into new switch top left.

 

 

thank u

[TryC]

On 20/08/2021 at 19:17, ProDave said:

Regardless of colour, what was in old switch top left goes to new switch top right, old switch top right into new switch bottom right and old switch bottom  into new switch top left.

 

 

hi! I tried this and while the lights work and can now be switched off downstairs, when I switch it on upstairs, the light comes on, but then it blinks and laminates as normal.

 

it never used to blink (before I started the quest in changing the cover).

 

I also turned the switch upside down as one of the wires that needed to go to the bottom of the switch was much too short and every time I put it in place to screw back in, the wire would pop out, so hence i turned it upside down so the short wire could still go into the bottom switch but the bottom became the top - is this OK to do?

[Temp]

5 minutes ago, TryC said:

hi! I tried this and while the lights work and can now be switched off downstairs, when I switch it on upstairs, the light comes on, but then it blinks and laminates as normal.

 

That sounds like a loose connection at the upstairs switch.

[TonyT]

I think your first post asked should I be getting an electrician in for this?

 

I think the answer now is yes, it will be sorted quickly and safely and let you move on.you gave it a bash, time to call out the pro.

dangerous stuff electricity!

[ProDave]

If the light momentarily blinks when you flick one of the switches, then you have messed up the order of the strappers between the 2 switches.

 

Seriously, you could spend days, and hours of our time taking pictures and trying to figure out what you have done wrong, or you could pay a local electrician an hours labour and he will have it all sorted very quickly.