the wiring a light switch thread!

ElKavo

Hi Guys,

Ok so first of all I have 4 ceiling lights in the dining room connected to a twin switch on the wall. Only one side of the switch is currently active. I have chased the walls to install new up lights. I have used three core lighting rated cable, ( Standard brown, blue and earth) There are three up lights, Left, center and right hand side of the wall. I have wired the left hand light on a separate tri core cable and the center and right hand light on the same tri core cable. ( lights are L, E and N.)

Now the cables that already exist. In the wall there are 4, one I have identified as the constant live I.E. only dies when I turn the RCB off there is then the switched live going to the lights that were already installed. the two other cables were not connected at all and just hanging in the wall.

Existing switch has two COM points a L1 and L2 on each side I.E one for each switch.

Now my question, where should I wire my live and neutral to on the switch, should I bring a link from the existing constant live to the other COM on switch two?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks

ElKavo

I've been doing more research on this, Would it be possible that I need to get a neutral to the circuit? There is a socket located under one of the new lights (I have installed) should I chase a neutral to the socket?

brightspark

ElKavo wrote: »

I've been doing more research on this, Would it be possible that I need to get a neutral to the circuit? There is a socket located under one of the new lights (I have installed) should I chase a neutral to the socket?

NO

aido79

ElKavo wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Ok so first of all I have 4 ceiling lights in the dining room connected to a twin switch on the wall. Only one side of the switch is currently active. I have chased the walls to install new up lights. I have used three core lighting rated cable, ( Standard brown, blue and earth) There are three up lights, Left, center and right hand side of the wall. I have wired the left hand light on a separate tri core cable and the center and right hand light on the same tri core cable. ( lights are L, E and N.)

Now the cables that already exist. In the wall there are 4, one I have identified as the constant live I.E. only dies when I turn the RCB off there is then the switched live going to the lights that were already installed. the two other cables were not connected at all and just hanging in the wall.

Existing switch has two COM points a L1 and L2 on each side I.E one for each switch.

Now my question, where should I wire my live and neutral to on the switch, should I bring a link from the existing constant live to the other COM on switch two?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks

You should probably have asked these questions before you wired it is at it is very bad practice to have neutrals at a switch and you may have trouble connecting the neutral to the lights now. That will have to be the first thing you do which may involve either re-routing the cables you have put it or running new cables from the ceiling lights to the wall lights. without seeing it it is hard to know what the best solution is.
Do you want the left hand side on a separate switch or what was your reason for running a separate cable for it? If so you will need to change the switch to a 3 gang switch.
Wiring the switch will be the easy part. Just link the coms using the permanent live and put the switch wires in the L1's.

Edit: Just read your second comment. I'd ring an electrician if I was you.

b318isp

No offence, but I'd suggest getting an electrician to do the work.

ElKavo

aido79 wrote: »

You should probably have asked these questions before you wired it is at it is very bad practice to have neutrals at a switch and you may have trouble connecting the neutral to the lights now. That will have to be the first thing you do which may involve either re-routing the cables you have put it or running new cables from the ceiling lights to the wall lights. without seeing it it is hard to know what the best solution is.
Do you want the left hand side on a separate switch or what was your reason for running a separate cable for it? If so you will need to change the switch to a 3 gang switch.
Wiring the switch will be the easy part. Just link the coms using the permanent live and put the switch wires in the L1's.

Edit: Just read your second comment. I'd ring an electrician if I was you.

I have an electrician coming up at weekend but If I can get the cables ran it will help to keep the cost down to a minimum.

aido79

ElKavo wrote: »

I have an electrician coming up at weekend but If I can get the cables ran it will help to keep the cost down to a minimum.

You will probably have to start again. It's hard to tell you how to run the cables without seeing it but you will need to get a neutral from the ceiling lights to the wall lights. This can be looped between each light. The neutral needs to be on the same circuit so that's why you can't take it from the socket. Then you will have to get a switch wire from the switch to each wall light.

ElKavo

aido79 wrote: »

You will probably have to start again. It's hard to tell you how to run the cables without seeing it but you will need to get a neutral from the ceiling lights to the wall lights. This can be looped between each light. The neutral needs to be on the same circuit so that's why you can't take it from the socket. Then you will have to get a switch wire from the switch to each wall light.

Thanks Aido, you have been quite helpful, I should be able to get a neutral down from ceiling lights to behind the switch where I'll loop it in to the neutral on the new lights. I'll just get the cable down and let sparky give the nod when he comes up.

Cheers

aido79

ElKavo wrote: »

Thanks Aido, you have been quite helpful, I should be able to get a neutral down from ceiling lights to behind the switch where I'll loop it in to the neutral on the new lights. I'll just get the cable down and let sparky give the nod when he comes up.

Cheers

It's not ideal but it will work. Good luck with it.

2011

b318isp wrote: »

No offence, but I'd suggest getting an electrician to do the work.

Exactly.

OP don't forget you are dealing with a potentially lethal voltage. A mistake could cause death, serious injury or a fire. Some of your statements show just how out of depth you are.

Know what you don't know.
For your own good employ the services of a professional.