3 Gang Light Switch help

jameshayes

Be gentle with me! For some reason anything to do with electricity just doesn't fit with my skill set!

A 3 switch light switch, the left switch turns on the light upstairs,which also can be controlled up there, the middle is a light in the hall, and the other is a light outside...

Recently the light outside stopped working and I checked it with a phase tester and confirmed no power going to it. Other lights are fine...

I took the switch off the wall and looked at the wiring, two wires were loose and a few of the screw clamps were broken so I'll need a new switch, but for the life of me I can't figure out which way the wires should have been connected! The top right wire in the pic and bottom left one... Any help?

Fries-With-That

jameshayes wrote: »

Be gentle with me! For some reason anything to do with electricity just doesn't fit with my skill set!

A 3 switch light switch, the left switch turns on the light upstairs,which also can be controlled up there, the middle is a light in the hall, and the other is a light outside...

Recently the light outside stopped working and I checked it with a phase tester and confirmed no power going to it. Other lights are fine...

I took the switch off the wall and looked at the wiring, two wires were loose and a few of the screw clamps were broken so I'll need a new switch, but for the life of me I can't figure out which way the wires should have been connected! The top right wire in the pic and bottom left one... Any help?

You'd be better off asking this question on the electrical forum.

WilyCoyote

Pretty basic. Just loosen the screws (one by one, shove the wires in and tighten).
Are you're fitted with a pacemaker?.......... Wear wellingtons - just to be sure.

If you have removed the switch, go on youtube - that'll show you and explain how to do it.

However, if you are a disaster at DIY ............ get a Sparkie.

jameshayes

WilyCoyote wrote: »

Pretty basic. Just loosen the screws (one by one, shove the wires in and tighten).
Are you're fitted with a pacemaker?.......... Wear wellingtons - just to be sure.

If you have removed the switch, go on youtube - that'll show you and explain how to do it.

However, if you are a disaster at DIY ............ get a Sparkie.

maybe I didn't explain... obviously I know how to place the wires into the clamps, but the combination of such is what I cant fathom.

hallo dare

Left switch - grey cable is either the mains power to the switch or it's the feed to the light. Two browns underneath it are called strappers, these are running to your upstairs switch for your upstairs light. That's how you switch from either upstairs or downstairs.

Middle switch - top brown is the feed to the light. Bottom brown is the mains power which is looped onto the - right switch. Grey cable is feed to light.

All this is provided you haven't changed any cabling!

Also, get yourself a meter, safer than those bloody testers

hallo dare

Did you get it sorted

jameshayes

nope, gave up and moved the light to a new location and new electricity feed

Sir Arthur Daley

jameshayes wrote: »

I checked it with a phase tester and confirmed no power going to it. Any help?

That is the first problem anyway, you cannot confirm the presence or non presence of power with a phase tester.