Quick advice about wiring a switch please...

[anorak]

I am trying to wire a new ceiling switch in my loo. It's a 2-way switch but I need to wire it for 1-way. I connected the earth cable to L1 and the red and black cables to L2 and common. When I turned the power back on the switch was on and the light worked. I switched the light off. When I tried to switch it on again it wouldn't come on.

Can anyone tell me what I've done wrong? Should I disconnect the earth cable and if so, what do I do with it?

i will ask dh, or find his bible

Thanks fio, I was hoping you'd be about.

I just went to the fuse box to switch it off again and discovered that it had actually tripped.

surely the earth cable should be in common or on the same side as the red and black?

Not earthing properly could have caused the fuse to trip - happens all the time in our house as Spanish sparkies don't know what earth is for...

Not very helpful this I know and probably annoying.

But get an electrician. Sorry! What I do is this.

Spare half hour during the day. Drive round nice local neighbourhood (there always having work done) Look for an electricain's van.

Bat eyelids a bit (I'm not a feminist, but I get things done cheaply)swear utter incompetence and bingo light switch safely working for a tenner.

Works every time!!!

I like to do these types of things myself, that way I can get it done now and not pay anyone!

I know this is a simple little job and will only take 5 minutes once I know exactly what is wrong.

And then next time I will do it right in the first place!

get a one way switch - nasty stuff electricity

I know what you mean anorak, I was been rather flippant but Iota's right its nasty stuff.

And I can't afford to send you flowers during your stay in hospital, too many trademen to pay..............LOL

anorak, would it be easier (and safer) just to go out and buy a new 1-way switch?

It's not a problem to wire a 2-way switch for 1-way. They're made to do either.

Don't worry, I wouldn't attempt anything dangerous! This is very simple stuff. If fio's dh says disconnect the earth wire or whatever, as soon as I know what to do it will be done in 5 minutes flat! It's lovely to know you care but as long as I have the wits to switch the circuit off while I am working on it it really really can't harm me. And I have a modern system that trips immediatly if there is any kind of fault (like now!) So if I do it wrong it just trips the switch on the fuse board as soon as I turn it on again.

Okay, fixed it. I figured that the earth wire should have been connected to the terminal outside the main block in the centre. I think it's just to tidy it away cos it's not necessary in this type of switch?

The light is working again and hasn't tripped out. I am still alive and my house hasn't blown up

But I know some of you guys are going to worry your tits off until a proper electrician posts on here and tells you I wired it correctly, so please Mr fio or anyone else who knows...?

I must say that standing up a ladder with a torch in your mouth and two children screaming and fighting down below you is not the most fun you can have with your clothes on! But I am grateful my dh didn't see me or he'd be thinking I was training for another kind of job

Oh, and may I add my thanks to everyone who offered suggestions?

sorry anorak, i completely forgot about this! sounds fine to me though, dh recently had to similar to a few of our switches, it is fine

Thank you fio