Novice! Help needed - light switch stopped working

[Halvy]

Hello,

I hope someone can help me...

I’ve simply been replacing the light switches in our house from plastic to chrome.

All was going fine but now a switch, one which I HAVN’T replaced, has stopped working! 

I’m perplexed at what I could have done wrong.

i hope someone on here can offer some help or advice.

thanks

Halvy

 

[Doc Hudson]

If the supply is loop at switch then you have most probably put the supply to the 'faulty' switch via the wrong side of the previous switch in the circuit.  If you turn on all of the other lights does you 'faulty' one now work. I trust the existing wiring has earth conductors in the cables for you to connect the metal face plates to?

Doc H. 

 

[Halvy]

I just tried switching on all the lights but the ‘faulty’ switch is still not working. All the switches are 2-way switches. Is it possible that I’ve wired one of them incorrectly? 

 

[roys]

Did you note or take photos of how the old switches were connected, very possible you have connected it up wrong.

On another note Is there an Earth connected to your new metal switches?

 

[Adam W]

Chances are one of the connections is loose.  I'd turn the power off and check them.

 

[Halvy]

Yes I have a photo of how it was before. How can I upload to here?

i checked the the black wires are going to the COM ports, the grey into the 1 WAY ports and browns into the 2 WAY ports. Whether or not I have them in the correct 1 WAY / 2 WAY ports I’m not sure. 

The earth is connected to the metal

casing as before.

Chances are one of the connections is loose.  I'd turn the power off and check them.

Hi Adam

if that is the case how would that affect the ‘faulty’ switch? I’ve checked and it doesn’t appear that any of the connections are loose.

 

[roys]

Well done on taking pics, so many don't, hopefully admin will be reading this and allow you post the before and after pics, not sure how many post it is normally before you can post pics, maybe 5 or 10.

 

[Adam W]

If you haven't altered anything in the switch which is now not working but it was working before then the problem probably isn't there.   The switch will be getting it's power from somewhere, ie another switch, so it stands to reason that the problem would be at that switch.

 

[Halvy]

Understood.

is it worth swapping any of the connections to see if that fixes it?

 

[Halvy]

Before pic

 

[Halvy]

After pic

 

[Blue Duck]

Earth the faceplates!

My eyes!

:blink:

 

[Doc Hudson]

After pic

View attachment 8933

Firstly, the previous switches were non conducting plastic so do not need an earth connection, these switches DO need an earth connection into that empty brass terminal on the right hand side. That photograph shows one end of a two-way switch arrangement, what does the other end look like? can we have a photo please.

Doc H.

 

[ProDave]

Are you CERTAIN that for each switch, the Brown, Black and Grey come from the came cable. Things would go very screwey if you had them mixed up.

 

[Halvy]

Hi Dave

No im not certain unfortunately.

hence why I’m reaching out to the experts.

 

[ProDave]

Well go and gave a look. Follow them back to where they enter the grey outer sheath of a cable (there will be 2 cables entering the switch you photographed) Make sure all 3 cables going to each switch module come from the same cable. If not swap them so they do.

 

[Halvy]

Well go and gave a look. Follow them back to where they enter the grey outer sheath of a cable (there will be 2 cables entering the switch you photographed) Make sure all 3 cables going to each switch module come from the same cable. If not swap them so they do.

Thanks for the advice - I will certainly check.

 

[Halvy]

I’ve checed that the wires are all originating from the correct main cable source and reconnected to the switch appropriately. See pic.

Switch in lounge still not working. I’ve also attached the earth wire to the switch.

 

[Doc Hudson]

As per my earlier post, your 'faulty switch' is one end of a two-way switch arrangement, what does the other end look like? can we have a photo please?

Doc H.

 

[Halvy]

All resolved now!

thank you all for your help.

much appreciated