2 way switching

awishawash

Hey guys,
Can anyone explain how to wire up a two way switching circuit using twin and earth cable. They do it differently in the uk using 3 core and earth so I havent been able to do much research.
Do you bring the supply to the ceiling rose or the switch to begin with.
Thanks
joe

Pataman

Connect the supply to the common connection on the switch1. Connect brown and blue to the L1 and L2 connections on the switch1. At the other end it is the reverse brown and blue to L1 and L2 and the light to the common connection.

patrido

Pataman, Do NOT use blue cable to act as a phase conductor. There are easily available dedicated cables for this job.

Awishawash, If you are unaware of the latest regulations in terms of earthing (of back boxes, ceiling roses, metal face plates, etc), the colour of cores, protection of cables, sizing of cables, etc, then you must get an electrician to do the job for you.

otherwise, you need 1.5mm2 twin and earth with two brown cores instead of the normal brown and blue. you also need a single brown 1.5mm2 cable. you'll get these in any electrical wholesaler or diy store.

ask for...
1.5 twin and earth brown/brown
1.5 single brown pvc/pvc.
you may also need 1.5 earth cable as the t+e does not go back to the junction box.

from the junction box/ceiling rose, connect a single brown cable to the circuit (permanent) live, and run to the first switch, where it connects to the common terminal.

Run the T+E from the first switch to the second one. On the first switch, connect one brown to L1 and the other to L2.

On switch two, connect one brown to L1 and the other to L2. Connect another single brown cable back to the junction box/ceiling rose. This is the switched live.

I'm assuming you know all about safe working practice, including how to safely isolate the supply, and again i stress the earthing requirements.

awishawash

Thanks for the input guys.
Thats the way I thought was right, although I had it working fine as Pataman described, with the blue on the t+e from the ceiling going nowhere, I was just gonna tape that up.
Is it okay to wrap a bit of red insulating tape around the end of the blue to signify its live, instead of getting brown brown. Surely the only difference in cables is the colour.
Also, the permanent live is coming to the circuit via another 3 gang switch in a hallway. I will have the permanent live coming from the common on it.
I have earthed everything where poss.

johnnyrotten

awishawash wrote:

Is it okay to wrap a bit of red insulating tape around the end of the blue to signify its live, instead of getting brown brown. Surely the only difference in cables is the colour.

Yep but you should use brown really

patrido

you can use brown tape, sleeving or heatshrink wrap. and don't just tag it - cover all the exposed blue. this needs to be done at both ends, not at just the switch.

Jnealon

Here is a diagram
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/DataSheets/MK/WiringDiagrams.pdf

awishawash

Thanks lads job done, and done right.