We want to change our old light sockets for new ones. Please help,?

we had 3 light switches. The top one controlled the kitchen ,

the second the front room and the third the hall which can also be controlled from upstairs. On removing the 3 switches we found one double insulated single red cable and two cables with both red and black. The switches were also interconnected with black wire. Is the red only wire the mains live? And do they all have to be interconnected to work? And lastly which wire goes where? Thanks for your help.
We want to change our old light sockets for new ones. Please help,?
Your talking about a 3 way switch. At least I am assuming your talking about the one switch for the hallway that can also be turned on from upstairs. That one will have 3 wires on both upstairs and downstairs. Since you can turn it on from both places, you need the third wire to connect it so it turns on from either place. If your uncertain about what to connect, you should have an electrician look at it. If you wanted to trouble shoot it you could take a volt meter and connect it to the wires and measure the voltage. On any of the two you should have 120v across it, but if you have the two blacks it should be 0. You can look at a 3 way wiring diagram located here to get a better understanding of a 3-way switch.



http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/boyce_smith/3wayswit.htm
We want to change our old light sockets for new ones. Please help,?
If your not going to change the switch all you need to be sure of is that the light is off
RED RIGHT,,BLACK LEFT THE REST ARE EARTHS WHICH GO CENTER
get an electrician to do it. It is a fire hazard if the wiring is wrong and could void your insurance if you had a fire.
You had better get an electrician if you have to ask. First you have two types of switches. One is a two way switch which has three wires attached. That may be where the red wire comes to play. However Red wires can be hot, but mostly on a 220 line. If you don't get an electrician, you had better number the wires with a tag and place them in the same position they are now. Your single light switches simple have a hot wire leading to them and a wire to the ligt. The 2 way switch has a wire leading to the light on side or end with one wire. On the side or end with 2 wires (one could be red) three wires go to the other light switch, one is hot than one or other is hot coming back depending on the position of the switch.
GET AN ELECTRICIAN!!!

You risk burning down your house if it is done wrong.

May not trip the circuit breaker but can build up excessive heat resulting in a fire after a while, perhaps after you go to bed or work.

Check for your electricians actual lisc and insurance cert. as many doing house calls do not have them and thus no insurance if the work they do results in a fire you are out of luck.
Get a spark
There are a number of ways the switch might be wired. It depends on where in the circuit the switch is located.
try not to concern your self with what does what. the wire that connected to all 3 was probably the power or ho needs to go to all 3 sounds like. if ya get lost dint mess with it call some one who knows