Quizzes & Puzzles3 mins ago
Wiring a light switch
4 Answers
I was hoping to replace a light switch (has 2 switches on it for 2 lights) the one I bought has 2 connections on the top marked 'COM' and each switch has 2 connections at the bottom marked 1WAY and 2WAY.
The old switch is slightly different, it has 3 connections at the top and 3 at the bottom. I decided to keep the old switch in as its far too confusing to change. I made a bit of a boo boo wiring it back in, one switch turns both lights on and the other one does nothing! I think the error is something to do with a small piece of wire that goes from one switch to the other, when I unscrewed the wires it fell on the ground and I only remember where one end of it screws into. Any idea?
The old switch is slightly different, it has 3 connections at the top and 3 at the bottom. I decided to keep the old switch in as its far too confusing to change. I made a bit of a boo boo wiring it back in, one switch turns both lights on and the other one does nothing! I think the error is something to do with a small piece of wire that goes from one switch to the other, when I unscrewed the wires it fell on the ground and I only remember where one end of it screws into. Any idea?
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On your new switch, the 2-Way is for when you have two switches controlling the same light such as on a stairway. Just ignore those in this instance.
The live wire in goes to the connection marked COM. The short length of wire that fell is to join one COM to the second COM.
The feed to one light goes into the 1WAY terminal on one switch and the other goes to the 1WAY terminal on the other switch.
The same applies to the ols switch that you have put back in, but with 3 terminals top and bottom, it looks as if ine if the switches is inverted so one has COM at top and 1WAY and 2WAY at the bottom. Beside it the other switch has 1WAY and 2WAY at the top and COM at the bottom. The same wiring connections apply.
WARNING. Don't forget to isolate the circuit before working on it. Switch off mains / remove fuses or circuit breakers. Test with a meter to be sure.
The live wire in goes to the connection marked COM. The short length of wire that fell is to join one COM to the second COM.
The feed to one light goes into the 1WAY terminal on one switch and the other goes to the 1WAY terminal on the other switch.
The same applies to the ols switch that you have put back in, but with 3 terminals top and bottom, it looks as if ine if the switches is inverted so one has COM at top and 1WAY and 2WAY at the bottom. Beside it the other switch has 1WAY and 2WAY at the top and COM at the bottom. The same wiring connections apply.
WARNING. Don't forget to isolate the circuit before working on it. Switch off mains / remove fuses or circuit breakers. Test with a meter to be sure.
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