Ok ive started my own thread as requested (sorry for the hijack :))

Right I have a triple light switch, that somehow is wired as the pic below
I have done it sort of an overlay, so if you look at the switch face plate and tilt it forward the connectors (L1 etc are as shown in the pic)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/Beanchimp/lightswitch.jpg

The 3 switches should be 1 for outside socket, 1 for conservatory lights, and 1 for outside floodlight

Now the way it is currently wired, only the end switch works, which is when in the up position the conservatory lights are on, and when in the down position the outside light is on (not bothered about the outside socket really)

All the wires are red as shown in the pic, but im not sure which one is which

The triple switch is wired to a fused switch right near it, the black wires are all connected (3 of them) to a strip block connector, and there is a single earth connected to the metal switch housing

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers

Steve

Can't really tell from that diagram - it looks like the centre switch has the 3 terminals (Com, L1 & L2) wired together so that one will do fook all.

And as there's nothing wired to the Common of the other switches, neither will they so it's probably a drawing error.

If you've only got 3 cables, they will only be able to switch 2 things as 1 of them must be the supply.

What you should have is a live feed in - work out which one of the 3 reds comming in is live using a mains tester. If your drawing is supposed to show the commons wired together, then it will be the one on the left.

The live should be connected to a common and then the other 2 commons connected to it, either directly or daisychained. The other 2 reds should go to L1 of different switches.

Agreed. With only 3 cables, you can only switch 2 items. And that middle switch! Whoever wired that was no sparky:lol1:
You also need to check that the switch is a 20 amp version, and not a 10 amp version, as you could plug a 13 amp appliance into that outside socket (Which should be RCD protected BTW), which would overload a 10 amp switch:)

Now, the switch that works, has a permanent live in the 'C', and the 2 switch wires in each of the L terminals. L1 should be the outside light, and L2 the conservatory.

Ok, hopefully this is a slightly better picture :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/Beanchimp/lightswitch02.jpg

mspaint isnt my forte lol

switch 1 and 2 both do nothing, only switch 3 works, and is acting more like a toggle switch, switching between the conservatory lights or the outside lights, no off facility unless I switch off at the spur

i dont have a mains tester unfortunatley, so it is a bit difficult to work out which is the supply

there are 4 red wires in total coming to the switch, and 3 black wires (terminated together with a connector block) so I guess 3 of the red and 3 of the black are the feeds for the outside light, outside socket, and conservatoy lights, and the remaining red wire is the live feed itself

Agreed. With only 3 cables, you can only switch 2 items. And that middle switch! Whoever wired that was no sparky:lol1:
You also need to check that the switch is a 20 amp version, and not a 10 amp version, as you could plug a 13 amp appliance into that outside socket (Which should be RCD protected BTW), which would overload a 10 amp switch:)

Cheers

The outside socket is RCD protected, but i have never used it, and the dogs chewed off the switch outside for it( which after they did that I found wasnt actually wired up, so it looks like it is wired direct to the socket)

I have plug sockets in the conservatory, and outside mains feeding from the garage at the other end of the garden, so not too worried about this one

the triple switch, looks like a cheapo white one, just checked and it is rated to 5A only :eek:

Ahhh, that's better, you posted that whilst I was editing my reply:lol1:

Here's how it is.
That link that goes Com>Com>L2
change it for Com>Com>Com
Then put the 3 lives that aren't currently in a common, into their own individual 'L1'
They're your switch wires.
BUT, don't forget what I said about the dangers of using a 10A switch, and not having an RCD on that socket:thumb:

Firstly you should not be using a light switch to feed an outdoor socket, but for the time being I’ll ignore that part!

Looking at your last diagram, to get all 3 switches working I would:

Remove the wire from L2 in switch 2 and put into COM of switch 1 so that all the COM’s have a live feed.
Remove the wire from L2 of switch 3 and put it into L1 of switch 2.

The test to see if it works.

Beaten to it!

:lol1: Ol' lightning fingers Brown strikes again!:thumb:

sorted now, many thanks for the help :)

Dont worry as its only a 5A switch, I will be replacing it with a higher rated one (plus I dont like the white anyway ) and like I said previously I dont and havent used the outside socket anyway, I have other sockets outside that are on the garage ring main (seperate consumer unit etc)

Cheers

Steve