Singles Old Wiring :- ( 2 – Way Wiring Problem ) “ Megger at the Ready “
A lot of Testing !! or Trial & Error
Attention to which Wire was which when you Removed the Old Switches . ( it depends on how the Electrician Set it Up )
The Three Reds without more info can’t say which Wire goes where but again the ( Common ) is the Important One so trying all ( Three Combinations ) should not take Long . ( Mark Wires 1 . 2 . 3. and Try each one in ( Common ) with Other Two in ( L1 . L2 ) Until it Works .
It is also suffice to mention that if however you mixed up the Wires . or Terminated them upside down . it will not Cause any major problems. The worst you faced might be a Light that cannot be switched Off or a Switch that works in the Opposite direction . in any case . a Small Relocation of the Wires for the Affected Switch should take care of the Problem
The Wiring is as Following :
( Red ) to ( L1 ) ↔ ( Red ) to ( L2 ) & Black to ( Common ) if Twin Used .
Black Wire should be your ( Common ) as a Rule . But not all the Time ??
It should be The ↔ ( Three Red Wire or One Black ) or Three – Single ( Red Wire ) ↔ ( Two Red Wires & One Black Wire ) Two – Way
( One ( Red Wire ) which is in the ( Com : Mains ) ↔ ( L1 Red Wire 2 ) ↔ ( L2 Red Wire 3 ) ↔ Two – Way ▼
( One ( 1 Red Wire / Switch Live / Return ) to Light Fitting ) ↔ ( L1 Red Wire 2 ) ↔ ( L2 Red Wire 3 ) Plus Earth ????
It should be ( Red Wire ” Mains “ ) from the Three-Single Cable’s which is in the ( Common Position ) on your First Light Switch .
You should have ( Red or Black / Two – Red ( from the Light Switch ) Connected across ( L1 ) & ( L2 ) Now you have the Three- Single Wires Connected across ( L1 ) & ( L2 ) & ( Common ) Permanent Live Switch Live
( Two – Way switches work together to Operate a Light from Two different Locations ) 3 – wires in One Light Switch . Plus Earth ????
You may come across . One ( Red ) to the ( Common ) & Bridge to other ( Common(s) ) Two Switches . 3-Gang 2-Way.
( To find out which are Strappers or Singles . Join One end of a Twin & Earth together & Bell Out ) Continuity
Feed from Consumer Unit
( Only a Switched Live . if we turn off the Light at the Switch there is No power to the Ceiling Rose ) ( Not Use Loop in Loop Out Drawbacks )
( Make sure that they are Earth in a 2-Gang Switch Old Wiring or Any Lighting )
You may see this in Old Wiring :- Twin & Earth . Earth Used as ( Common ) Permanent Live ( Rare !! )
Twin & Earth because the CPC is Bare throughout its Length & doesn’t get away from the Fact there is not a CPC at the Switch . ( Previous Electrician )
514.4.2 : Protective Conductor . The bi-colour combination Green -&-Yellow shall be used exclusively for identification of a Protective Conductor and this combination shall not be used for any other purpose .
Single-Core cables that are Coloured Green-&Yellow throughout their length shall only be Used as a Protective Conductor and shall not be Over-Marked at their Terminations . Except as permitted by Regulation 514.4.4.
( 2392-10 : The Only way is the Right Way . Any Compromise is Wrong . in these Circumstance’s Use the Regulation’s as your Excuse / Lever / Justification for Insisting that it Need’s to be Ripped Out & Started again .
Radial Circuit is used for Lighting Circuits
Loop-in-Wiring :-
With loop-in-wiring . the Cable from Ceiling rose to switch has 3 Conductors . Namely Earth . Unswitched Return Live & Switched Live .
Sockets :- RCDs ?? May be Prone to Nuisance Trips
RCDs is not a Regulation requirement for most Socket(s) . Only Socket(s) likely to be Used by Outdoor Equipment are required to be Powered via an RCD . ( Let me Ask you . Would you Use a dedicated Socket feeding a Fridge Freezer on a RCD ( Cause Defrosting ) non-RCD side
Sockets may be Wired on Ring Circuits or Radial Circuits ( Radial !! More Copper . Connection Faults have greater Consequences ) . Mostly Rings are Used . as they use Less Copper for most Circuit Layouts . They have Safety Advantages over Radial Circuits can provide more power . and cover More Floor Area per Circuit .
20A Radials use 2.5mm2 or 4mm2 Cable : p/363 . Regs
32A Radials use 4mm2 Cable :
It is Common to have a Ring Dedicated just for Sockets in the Kitchen Since that is where you will find many of the Highest power Consuming Appliance
( Design ) – Kitchens are supplied by One Ring Circuit . [ Larger Kitchens – Load & Diversity – Calcs ]
Electric Shower . Own high Current Cable . Cooker Own high Current Cable . [ p/362 – Regs . (iii) Connecting Cookers . Ovens & Hobs with a rated power Exceeding 2 kW on their Own dedicated Radial Circuit ]
Why the Breaker had Tripped ?? Resetting a Breaker !! Unable to hold the “ On “ Position (i) Mechanical Problem Rare ) (ii) it is Retripping for a Short Circuit it’s doing it’s Job )
[ Solution !! Another good way is to Take the Panel’s Cover Off . Remove the Wire from that Breaker . & see if it Resets & Stay On ]
?? But if the Original does stay “ On “ when Deprived of it’s Wire . Then it has Indeed been Responding to a [ Short Circuit ] Yeah
Blinking or Flickering Lights
[ Solution !! you may be dealing with a Poor Connection somewhere in your System . it is Commonly at an Outlet . Light . Switch / or Loose Connection ]
The Short Circuit . ( ● Most Breakers can stand up to Repeated Shorting )
Since the Short . the Earth Fault . the Arc-Fault ( Unintended Continuity )
A Live to Earth Short [ Breaker Earth Fault ) is more Common than a Line to Neutral Short .
First :- On the dead Circuit . Unplug everything & turn all On/Off switches Off . & turn Only One Switch the Other Way . “ Try Reset “ then On if the Breaker stays On . one of the Items you Disconnected from the Circuit has the Short in it . so reconnect One at a Time . Turning power back On each time That should Identify the Culprit .
The Causes of Problems ??
The biggest Cause for Electrical Problems in Old Homes is simply the Age of the Home / Wiring
Thanks to G
