Eric The Viking
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- 19 Jan 2010
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First-off, I'm trying to understand the fault condition.
I think I have got it.
The dining room is incorrectly wired.
It is behaving as if:
A: there is a THIRD switch somewhere, and the dining room switch is between that and the kitchen switch (see below).
B: at least two lives have been commoned to the kitchen switch, and the dining room switch is (incorrectly) inserted in one of them.
I'm on a tablet presently (at the breakfast table). Have to go sit at my PC to work in a few minutes, so I'll knock out a diagram then.
Whatever it actually is, your sparks is a pillock, and it is, most definitely, incorrectly wired up. It _might_ be a simple matter of altering the wiring to the dining room switch, or the switch itself might be the wrong type (and someone bodged it when they realised that).
Some single switchplates (really old or very cheap) only have two contacts - they are make or break and are not changeover. For twin switches, both need to be changeover (three terminals).
For three or more switches (usually only in stairwells), any switches in the middle are CROSSOVER (with four poles). They are specials: The switch always has two connections through it, but when operated they cross over:
State 1: A(in)--->A(out), B(in)--->B(out)
State 2: A(in)--->B(out), B(in)--->A(out)
The exact state of play in your house would be revealed by proper testing, but it's easy to guess at several mistakes that would give the symptoms you describe.
E.
PS: it's also possible that some real silly person has put the kitchen switch in the neutral (return) from the bulb. I didn't consider that initially, as you really have to be a total numpty to manage that one (and it is truly dangerous). I still cannot imagine how any sparks could say "that's correct" however it was actually achieved.
I think I have got it.
The dining room is incorrectly wired.
It is behaving as if:
A: there is a THIRD switch somewhere, and the dining room switch is between that and the kitchen switch (see below).
B: at least two lives have been commoned to the kitchen switch, and the dining room switch is (incorrectly) inserted in one of them.
I'm on a tablet presently (at the breakfast table). Have to go sit at my PC to work in a few minutes, so I'll knock out a diagram then.
Whatever it actually is, your sparks is a pillock, and it is, most definitely, incorrectly wired up. It _might_ be a simple matter of altering the wiring to the dining room switch, or the switch itself might be the wrong type (and someone bodged it when they realised that).
Some single switchplates (really old or very cheap) only have two contacts - they are make or break and are not changeover. For twin switches, both need to be changeover (three terminals).
For three or more switches (usually only in stairwells), any switches in the middle are CROSSOVER (with four poles). They are specials: The switch always has two connections through it, but when operated they cross over:
State 1: A(in)--->A(out), B(in)--->B(out)
State 2: A(in)--->B(out), B(in)--->A(out)
The exact state of play in your house would be revealed by proper testing, but it's easy to guess at several mistakes that would give the symptoms you describe.
E.
PS: it's also possible that some real silly person has put the kitchen switch in the neutral (return) from the bulb. I didn't consider that initially, as you really have to be a total numpty to manage that one (and it is truly dangerous). I still cannot imagine how any sparks could say "that's correct" however it was actually achieved.