Two-way light switch - Sorted, thank you all.

[CHJ]

I too thought that the black wire was bare outside the block and was going to suggest its remedy but if you blow the image up it looks more like plaster dust on the black insulation.

 

[Deejay]

Afternoon Steve

I haven't time today to do any more, I should have a cake in the oven by now and I haven't even been shopping yet.

Get your priorities in order Steve.

Leave the wiring until Tuesday

Cheers

Dave

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well I'm back home and back on the case. This is the switch in the kitchen.

L1 is red, L2 is blue with a red tag, COM is Yellow.

Two people told me to swap L2 and COM, but that just made matters worse, so it is back to how it was, now.

PS, I've done the same continuity test: COM-L1 in one position, COM-L2 in the other.

 

[Steve Maskery]

It's witch-craft, Steve.

10/10

Having swapped two wires round to no avail, I swapped them back and now everything works as it should. I don't understand it. The implication is a poor connection, but the wires appeared to be tight, there was nothing obviously loose.

Ah well, we'll see if it stays like this, but it not worked properly since I moved in, over 4 years ago!

All's well that ends well, eh?

 

[Eric The Viking]

It's not unknown for the screw to clamp down on the insulation, if the bit that's stripped bare is too short Those switches have terminals designed to take several wires simultaneously, so that's easier to do than you might think.

 

[MikeG.]

It's witch-craft, Steve.

10/10.........

Sorry about your cat, but with these danger signs, it was clearly a necessary sacrifice.

 

[Deejay]

Hello Steve

Before you screw it all back together, I'd check all the connections for tightness and find an earth from somewhere to put on the second switch. It might also be worth looking under the red tape to see what's hidden there.

Cheers

Dave

 

[AndyT]

This forum can sort out anything...

https://youtu.be/5GnYtuhZXzo?t=45s

:lol: :lol:

 

[Lons]

This forum can sort out anything...

https://youtu.be/5GnYtuhZXzo?t=45s

:lol: :lol:

And they voted him in. #-o (hammer)

 

[Lons]

It's witch-craft, Steve.

10/10

Having swapped two wires round to no avail, I swapped them back and now everything works as it should. I don't understand it. The implication is a poor connection, but the wires appeared to be tight, there was nothing obviously loose.

Ah well, we'll see if it stays like this, but it not worked properly since I moved in, over 4 years ago!

All's well that ends well, eh?

Hi Steve

I had a connection problem a number of years ago with a 13 amp socket and it took me ages to sort. It would work for a while then not, no pattern, all tight connections and worked every time I refitted the damn thing, drove me up the wall. I suspected a faulty socket so switched it, checked all wiring for continuity then one day noticed a small black area on the neutral wire. Turned out there was a break in the wire which connected ok most of the time but for some reason would eventually lose contact.
Fixed it and it's been perfect for years since.

cheers
Bob