Etoile Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 We have just purchased a property in the Charente Maritime and I am trying to get my head around the lighting. We have three floors and on the first floor there is a large chandelier which I believe is meant to be controlled via two way switches on the ground and second floors and an intermediate switch on the first floor. However, these seem to work in an almost random fashion - we have even had a person posted by each switch taking commands for several seconds before finally managing to obtain light. Furthermore there is a strange buzzer in one of the attics which 'sometimes' buzzes when the chandelier is alight. The other thing I find interesting is that with some of the lights you have to flip the switch one way and then back again to light the lamp, ditto to turn it off again. I wonder if we have some sort of relay(s) controlling things here.The house was built in 1632 but I understand it has been rewired since then, about twenty years ago. Any view on these things would be appreciated. Just to add to the curiosity my wife and our builder both spotted a ghost on the ground floor last week, but then I don't think a ghost could interfere with electrical wiring. I don't think they can actually do anything physical, and being sort of see-through I wouldn't imagine that they conduct either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 It may be that rather than two or three way switches these are poussoir light switches which sent a pulse to a relay which then connects the current. If so they should be pressed and quickly spring back. Do a search on 'teleruptors' for some more details. The springs inside then become tired after a time. Oldeer ones are simple round button like a door bell later ones can look just like a noimal light switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etoile Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 Thanks for that, a good start. I actually qualified as an electrician in the UK many years ago, but I have never heard of these things. The switches look exactly like modern light switches and definately have no spring action but a traditional on/off click. I actually suspect that someone may have fitted the wrong units to the right wiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Our 2 way (or wot ever they are called one at top of stairs one at bottom for same light) also turn on/ off to turn them on. and they buzz to. thats in france , in england they just buzz . so I think its normal [8-)]Tell me more about your goast , have you looked into it ? as to who it might be etc.......[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Guerriere Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The only way to get to the bottom if this is to carefully (switch off first at the tableau)have a peer inside the switches. The ones at the top and bottom should have three wires (live and shuttle or navette en Francais) and the one in the middle should be a "special" which takes four wires. This is a crossover switch and the four wires ought (ha!) to match the two shuttle wires at either end switch. I'm not explaining this very well.... have a look in the switches and post what the wire colours are. They could be anything within the visible spectrum, but we might be able to sort it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerac Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 I agree with Anton Redman. I think that what you have is a telerupteur controlling the light, and not the system of two way and intermediate switches more common in the UK.A telerupteur is a latching relay, one pulse from a controlling switch and it latches on, another pulse and it latches off. They are very common in French systems. Usually fitted within the tableau, but I have heard of freestanding ones. If you have a telerupteur then all of the switches involved will just have one pair of wires to them, and when pushed they will provide a pulse of phase voltage to the telerupteur. The big advantage is that you can have as many switches as you like all connected in parallell with just two wires. The buzzing may be if yours have been incorrectly wired with on/off switches, or if the spring in the switch has broken, so that the switch can supply a constant current then that would account for a constant buzzing - the solenoid in the mechanism is meant to be actuated momentarily to toggle the contacts between on and off, and is not meant to receive a constant current. There could be a risk of overheating if that is the case.Typical wiringhttp://www.batirmoinscher.com/wmedias/catalogue-electricite/prtection-gestion/commande-modulaire/telerupteur.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etoile Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 Thanks for that, but I assume you are assuming I have a traditional UK style three way set-up. I am however minded to go with the 'teleruptor' idea mentioned above, firstly because I like the word but also because there is this buzzing thing in the loft which I am inclined to think might be the relay where the switches all feed back to.I am back in France at Easter and might come back to you with the colour codes. Many thanks for your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 [quote user="Etoile"]The house was built in 1632 but I understand it has been rewired since then, about twenty years ago. [/quote][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 [quote user="Tandem_Pilot"][quote user="Etoile"]The house was built in 1632 but I understand it has been rewired since then, about twenty years ago. [/quote][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][/quote]I've been sitting on my hands since Etoile posted that... [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etoile Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 Thank you Jerac, I feel confident that this is the system I have. It looks like someone has used the wrong sort of switches. When I am down at the weekend I think I will try removing the switches and just leaving the bare wires hanging out of the wall. I can then go round flicking these together and see what happens. (Marigolds compulsory.)I can understand the appeal of this set-up. As you say the actual wiring is very simple and easily expandable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Roy Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 [quote user="Clair"][quote user="Tandem_Pilot"][quote user="Etoile"] The house was built in 1632 but I understand it has been rewired since then, about twenty years ago. [/quote][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][/quote]I've been sitting on my hands since Etoile posted that... [Www][/quote] Me too!!![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trees Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 If it IS a telerupteur, and if it HAS been wired with the wrong sort of switches, it might be damaged.Hence why it works sometimes, but not others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etoile Posted March 19, 2008 Author Share Posted March 19, 2008 I can only assume that it is not damaged and works when the teleruptor is not buzzing, ie. when none of the incorrectly fitted light switches are in the closed position.I am looking forward to flying down at the weekend and taking a look. Thanks for all the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 [quote user="Rob Roy"][quote user="Clair"][quote user="Tandem_Pilot"][quote user="Etoile"] The house was built in 1632 but I understand it has been rewired since then, about twenty years ago. [/quote][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][/quote]I've been sitting on my hands since Etoile posted that... [Www][/quote] Me too!!![:D][/quote]Ditto!!!!!![:D][:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etoile Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Problem sorted, thanks a lot for all the help on here. I replaced the switches with the pulsing type but still had a lot of buzzing. 37 euros at the local Bricomarche secured me another telerupteur and that sorted the problem.I really like this system now - you can just hit any button to turn the light on or off, and having only two parallel wires to each switch it would be easy to expand in the future. Thanks a lot everyone who replied - I think I might get into sewerage next....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Opps!! Just realised that there are 2 pages to this?? I claim a senior moment!!Glad it's all sorted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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