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Issues with three light switches controlling one light

[Deleted User]

I have a lights in the hall which can be controlled by three light switches.

There are two three terminal switches and one four terminal/intermediate switch. The intermediate switch broke and was replaced by an electrician sent out by the landlord.

Now it's very much hit and miss with the combination of on/off of each switch as to whether the lights turn on and off. It's obviously wired incorrectly.

Is there an easy way to work out which way it should be wired, as in which wire is which? They are all brown wires (apart from ground) so it's not possible just visible.

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smuggler.ie

Each switch should turn lights ON & OFF at any given time. If this is not working get back onto landlord - replacement work was not done right.

kirk.

Probably the way I would check would be

Non contact tester and alternate the 2-way switch furthest from the light

That should determine the strappers on the feed side

Or continuity tester can check the pairs if you link them at the 2 way

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120037650#Comment_120037650

Yep and it was like that before the electrician came out. Was hoping to be able to fix it myself instead of having to deal with landlord again.

smuggler.ie

Providing you have confidence in what you doing - you can, however, if anything goes wrong, i would rather put honors on landlord/spark than take on my insurance.

See similar thread here, it includes diagram of wiring, should you wish to proceed on your own.

You might need to provide more precise description what "hit and miss" mean in your case.

[Deleted User]

Thanks, will try work out what the current circuit is based on the light combination now. Otherwise will deal with landlord again.

[Deleted User]

I had a quick look at the new switch and on the back it's

L1 L2

Is this the correct switch for the middle? Just the guides I'm following online say it should be

L1 L2

L3 L4

alan4cult

Can you spot the pairs at the intermediate switch. Usually they will come in from two different sides / two different sleeves.

Then it's just one pair to L1 L2 and the other pair to L1 L2 (i.e. L3 L4).

It's likely the electrician has put a pair across the L1s and across the L2s by mistake.

I'd be calling the electrician back though, it's pretty basic to confirm correct operation after rewire.

[Deleted User]

Yup, they're two different sleeves. I'm guessing it matters which wire of each pair goes into l1 and L2?

I might just test all combinations

alan4cult

No it doesn't matter. The important thing is that the pairs stay in pair at each end.

Intermediate switches basically swap the pairs (strappers) but they can be labelled in all sorts of confusing way.

If you have a multimeter you can test which terminals are in continuity.

[Deleted User]

Hmm, so basically there is only two options, both of which I've tested and neither works fully.

If the intermediate switch is off, one of the switch cannot turn the lights on.

Is there a chance it could have been replaced with a similar but not intermediate switch?

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039352#Comment_120039352

Chances are it's wired wrong

2 ways and intermediate should have been tested for correct operation after fitting

kirk.

The non contact would be a quick way of checking if you're used to it and have one

alan4cult

Yeah agree with kirk, you need a tester or electrician at this point. Correct operation should have been verified when the switch was changed.

wotzgoingon

I've a feeling you done this work yourself. No electrician would mess up an intermediate switch. Very basic lighting circuit.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039432#Comment_120039432

😁..

smuggler.ie

At this point i would suggest you stop messing around with live wires and call spark - you cant eliminate other two switches being at fault either

AMKC

. .

So basically that is your 3 switches. The top one would contain the live and a strapper

The middle one two strappers and

The bottom one a strapper and a switch wire which is the wire going to the light controlled by the three switches.

So when you click the first switch the the live will either click to the left or right terminal which will then either go to the top left or right terminal of the intermediate switch

Which it switch right will either complete the circuit to the last switch or not. The last switch then has to have the circuit complete for the light to come on.

So if say you click the top switch and it clicks to the right this then needs to go to the right of the inter then left depending on if the wire is twisted or not and this then needs needs to connect to either the left or right bottom wire. The right shoukd cross to the left and the left to the right which then needs to complete the circuit at the last switch similar to the one above but the single wire there is not live untill the circuit is made. It goes to the light.

If it all lines upright you should have light.

Basically the first strapper should go to the top of the inter and the second to the bottom if it. It should not be complicated.

If someone has but them side by side we'll then it us not going to work right unless the inter switch is side ways lol.

Hope this helps.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039432#Comment_120039432

Maybe an apprentice done it or a electrician and a bad one at that doing the job as a nixer.

If they were any good they would have made sure it worked right before fecking off.

[Deleted User]

I'd be very surprised if the one of the other two switches are faulty as everything was working until the intermediate switch was replaced.

And no I didn't do it myself, in hindsight I wish I did as I'd have done a better job.

I suppose now I want to verify what was replaced is still an intermediate switch and if so, I'll get back in touch with the landlord.

[Deleted User]

I'm wondering if anyone can tell if this is the correct type of switch for intermediate or not based on the symbol above click.

alan4cult

Looks like a double pole switch.

[Deleted User]

Yep thats what I thought based on a google. So basically they installed the wrong part? I'll head to woodies (and overpay) for a correct switch now and see if that fixes it.

kirk.

Ya a double pole switch

Some sparkie

[Deleted User]

I'm guessing she might have just been a handyman-type and not full electrician. Although she did introduce herself as "the electrician".

Anyway, replaced it just there and everything is back working as it should.

kirk.

Could be the shop sold it in error, they look similar

Didn't check operation after no excuse for that

wotzgoingon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120058503#Comment_120058503

What's a 3 way switch? (I know what it is it's just I never heard a spark calling it that)I heard of one gang 1 way, one gang 2 way, two gang switch, three gang switch etc...

You posted some shít in the computers section too stating the obvious that a red LED means something is wrong.

kirk.

Was looking it up

Never heard it used before , think maybe its an American term for the 2-way system of control