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

"Martin MacKenzie" wrote in message
...
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



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.


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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





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.


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"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

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

Cheers
Martin


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" 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

"Martin MacKenzie" wrote in message
...
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



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. :-))

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

"Martin MacKenzie" wrote in message
...
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

"Martin MacKenzie" wrote in message
...
All lights now working.
Many thanks for the info guys.



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 !!!


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