Changed 2 gang 1 way light switch in lounge, now no light in kitchen

[andantespianato]

My living room dimmer lights did not work properly so I decided to open the switch box to check the wires. It is a 2 gang 1 way switch. When I opened it, there were four red wires and one yeallow/green (I guess it is earth?)

For some stupid reasons I mixed up all the wires and I tried to reconnect it. Sofar I've managed to identify 2 red wires to the lights, and one red live wire from supply. The other red one I have no idea what that is since it does not have any power (I tried to connect it to the light wire and it did not work). This one was the one that connected to C on one side, and lenghthened to C on the other side. Since I didnt know what it was and it didn't have any power, I taped it up, connect one light wire to L1, one supply live wire to C. When I turned on our main switch, the light in the living room is fine (only one of them working since I could find only one live suppl wire). However I now realised there are no lights whatsoever in the kitchen. Outlets are still fine.

Anyone has any idea where I've gone wrong?

Am I correct in saying there should be 2 live wires from supply and 2 wire to bulbs? Did I somehow managed to break one live wire, hence break the rest of the light circuit?

I'll call an electrician next week but in the meantime any pointer is much appreciated.

[Bill Wright]

Connect the 'orphan' red wire to the same switch terminal as the incoming supply.

Bill

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That is the very worst option.

[Jim K]

inspirational

Jim K

[ARW]

But it is the correct answer:-)

It's a 2 gang light switch with 4 red cables. One is the supply in, one is the supply out to the kitchen lights and the other two are the switched lives to the two living room lights.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Ok if you can guarantee that. But not without doing further tests.

[Jim K]

I suspect the OP will perform a simple test especially for you, he may even report back...

Jim K

[Brian Gaff]

Well its looped through innit, the orphan wire is not live cos its the loop off to the kitchen and should go to the unswitched end of the current switch, as to what you did with the other light, only you can tell!

Brian

[ARW]

But nothing will go bang.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I doubt that. Far more likely just a second live feed from the second light - loop in loop out with switch drops. If it were the feed to the second light, where does the neutral come from?

Which is why IMHO it needs investigating further.

[ARW]

[Dave Plowman (News)]

'A less commonly met system of wiring lighting circuits.'

If you were using this method of wiring, why run two feeds to a two gang switch?

[ARW]

Those are not my words - AFAIK that wiring method is still commonly used - and it is a requirement to use such a system on some council house rewires and it is still my prefered method of install on the larger houses I rewire.

There are not two feeds unless you class a "feed in" and a "feed out" as two feeds. There is one feed in, one feed out to the kitchen LIGHTSWITCH and two switched lives to the two lounge lights.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In which case there'd be a link wire also between the two switches?

[ARW]

There was such a link - reread the OPs post:-)

[The Medway Handyman]

"the one that connected to C on one side, and lenghthened to C on the other side".

I read that as the 2 commons being inked.

[Bill Wright]

Is it bollocks! Nothing can go bang, and the chances are from what he said he's identified the other three already.

Bill

[Tony Bryer]

I thought that systems like this were deprecated because of the radiation from single cores, as opposed to twin core cable? Or am I talking rubbish (not unknown)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Ah - must try harder. ;-)

[ARW]

Don't worry - the OP is still looking for the second supply for the other lounge light!