Triple 1 way switch wiring.

[Martin MacKenzie]

Hi all I'm new to this newsgroup so please forgive me if this has been covered recently.

Basically my parents asked me to investigate a dodgy light socket in their house, it is in an extension to the house built some 15 years ago. It is a triple switch operating 3 separate lights - 2 outdoors and 1 in the middle of the ceiling. These lights are not operated by any other switches so they are 1 way.

There are 4 cables coming in to the switch all twin and earth. One comes up from the bottome and the other three from the top - the bottom one comes directly from the fuse box.

Question is - how do I wire it up? The switch has 3 COMs and L1 and L2 for each switch. I gather that the live from the fusebox would go to one of the COMs and linked through to the other 2. How would the wires from the 3 lights be wired?

Any help would be most welcome.

Thanks Martin

[BigWallop]

Are all the black wires running to the switch point as well ?

You might also have bare copper earth connecting conductors in the box that will need to be covered in green / yellow coloured plastic sleeving and placed in the earthing terminal of the back box, or to a screw terminal block, to keep them out of the way and make sure they don't touch anything else. Do this first to get them out of the way.

The red wires should be connected to either the "L1" or "L2" side of the switches depending on which way you want the switches to operate, i.e. up for on, or down for on. The supply red is connected with links of red wire of the same size to each of the "COM" (common) terminals.

All the black coloured wires should be connected together inside an insulated screw terminal block (chocolate block) and wrapped in some insulating tape to make sure none of the bare copper can touch against the metalwork of the back box or the switch plate. You can tuck the block into a corner of the back box first to keep it out of the way when you put switch back on.

[Martin MacKenzie]

Many thanks for the speedy reply and info

The black wires are running to the switch point along with the earths that you mention making a total of 12 wires!!! A lot to hide behind a switch. The earth cables are already sleeved so its just a case of finding a couple of earth points on the back.

There is one other ceiling light in the room I am talking about - As this socket I am working is fed directly from the fusebox I am assuming that this other light is fed from the rose of the light I am trying to wire up - does this sound about right? I'll check tomorrow to be sure.

Thanks again Martin

[Owain]

"Martin MacKenzie" wrote | Basically my parents asked me to investigate a dodgy light socket in their | house, it is in an extension to the house built some 15 years ago. It is a | triple switch operating 3 separate lights - 2 outdoors and 1 in the middle | of the ceiling. These lights are not operated by any other switches so they | are 1 way. | There are 4 cables coming in to the switch all twin and earth. One comes up | from the bottome and the other three from the top - the bottom one comes | directly from the fuse box. | Question is - how do I wire it up? The switch has 3 COMs and L1 and L2 for | each switch. I gather that the live from the fusebox would go to one of the | COMs and linked through to the other 2. How would the wires from the 3 | lights be wired?

*Probably*

Red (live) from fuse to COM---COM---COM Red (live) to light 1 to L1 on switch 1 Red to light 2 to L1 on switch 2 Red to light 3 to L1 on switch 3.

Black (neutral) from fuse and blacks to lights commoned together in a piece of terminal strip.

All earths sleeved green/yellow, commoned in terminal strip and linked to back box if metal.

Identify the terminals carefully - you may find the middle switch terminals are 'upside down'

Owain

[Martin MacKenzie]

Many thanks I'll wire it like this and let you know....

Cheers Martin

[Owain]

"Martin MacKenzie" wrote | Many thanks | I'll wire it like this and let you know....

If we hear nothing more we'll know it wasn't right and will send flowers to the grieving widow.

Owain

[BigWallop]

It is common / possible for one ceiling rose to be looped over from the other, so this sounds the most likely configuration you have. If it ain't, get back here and ask what else could be happening. :-))

[Martin MacKenzie]

All lights now working. May thanks for the info guys.

[BigWallop]

You're welcome. But next time, use a piece of paper and a pencil to draw the wiring and note the colours before you take the old switch off. :-)) LOL !!!