Discuss outside light not working, need help on wiring in the DIY Electrical Advice area at ElectriciansForums.net

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T

theosox10

I have recently bought a house and the outside light doesn't work. After unscrewing the bolts I realised it wasn't wired up at the light.
I have a brand new light and cannot get it to work.

At the light I have 2 grey cables: 1 with a red core and a earth, the other with just 1 black core.

At the light switch (this is a 3way switch which controls my hall light and upstairs light & the outside light) 2 of these work fine. Its just the outside light.

The spare switch (for the outside light) only has 1 grey cable with the red core and earth coming into connection L2. I have no cores going in the COM terminal and no cores going into the L1 terminal.

I have done a continuity test from switch to the light, on the red core and earth core. And this is a good reading 0.1ohms.

I have done a voltage check to earth on the red core & I'm getting 4 volts AC. On the black core 0 volts AC

Can anyone advise me how to wire this to get my outside light operational please.
 

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Welcome to the Forum theosox10, you have put down you are a Trainee?... Are you actively enrolled on a course or just about to start one, if so you may qualify for access to our Trainee section where we have selected Mentors to help out with the more basic of questions expected of a Trainee... if you are on a course then Send a member of staff a PM or click on the section 'Trainee Access' and follow the instructions and links.
 
i'd suspect that you need a link from the common of a working switch to the common of the switch for the outside light, but unless you're sure of what you are doing, get someone competent to help.
 
Looking at it it suggests someone has moved the wire over or removed a loop to make the O/S light safe...With the power off of course you need to take the existing little loop of cable out of the L2 terminal in the middle and move it across to the common terminal at the bottom left obviously after ensuring you have a light fitting on the end... this is a 3 gang switch but you are only using 2 switches on it by the look of it.

Like Tel says here - if you are still unsure or lack the correct test equipment then get a competent person in to be safe.
 
As above, get somebody in, it will never work without an perm feed. ( don't play if your not competent)
 
I've put this in the DIY forum for now, if you are a trainee and you're currently on a training course please follow the instructions in this thread and give us details so we can give you access to the trainee forum.
 
I have tested the neutral between a light fitting down staires out the outside light, good continuity! After moving the red core from L2 in the middle gang over to the Common on the right switch, and wiring up the new light outside, it worked fine. Thanks
 

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