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Splitting lights to separate switches

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  • 21-01-2016 10:40am
    #1
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi all.

    My kitchen has two separate ceiling lights that are run off the one switch.

    I had notions of splitting them so they can be switched on and off independently, but when I looked behind the switch there's only three cables connected to it (two from the lights and one from the mains, from what I can see).

    From that is it fair to assume that the two fittings are daisy-chained, rather than both of them running separately to the switch?

    And if that's the case, is there any easy way to get them to run independently - or would it involve re-wiring the whole thing?

    If that's the case I'll probably just leave it alone - but would be nice to split them if I can!

    Thanks.


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    #2
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users Posts: 5,380 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    flogen wrote: »
    Hi all.

    My kitchen has two separate ceiling lights that are run off the one switch.

    I had notions of splitting them so they can be switched on and off independently, but when I looked behind the switch there's only three cables connected to it (two from the lights and one from the mains, from what I can see).

    From that is it fair to assume that the two fittings are daisy-chained, rather than both of them running separately to the switch?

    And if that's the case, is there any easy way to get them to run independently - or would it involve re-wiring the whole thing?

    If that's the case I'll probably just leave it alone - but would be nice to split them if I can!

    Thanks.

    Its too hard to tell if they can easily be split without doing some testing at the back of the switch. It sounds like there's 3 wires going to the back of the switch. 2 of these wires should be joined together in a single terminal.

    There's two options when they are tested:-
    (1) One wire always live, other two wires just live when switch is on.
    (2) Two wires always live, other wire is just live when switch is on.

    If its option #1 above, the switch can be changed to a double very quickly and both lights controlled independently.

    If its option #2 above, a new wire will need to be run back from one of the lights to the switch.


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    #3
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users Posts: 17,853 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    if its to reduce cost as the whole room doesnt need to be lit, putting in 2 x LED bulbs might be far easier...


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    #4
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    DublinDilbert wrote: »
    Its too hard to tell if they can easily be split without doing some testing at the back of the switch. It sounds like there's 3 wires going to the back of the switch. 2 of these wires should be joined together in a single terminal.

    Yep - that's the way there wired.

    To test can I just see what happens when one of the two joined wires is removed from the terminal or is it more a case of seeing which is/are the live wires?


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    #5
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Idbatterim wrote: »
    if its to reduce cost as the whole room doesnt need to be lit, putting in 2 x LED bulbs might be far easier...

    That's part of the reason but it's mainly because one light is over the kitchen itself and the other is over the spot for the dining table. Would be nice to be able to have one on without the other.


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    #6
    brightspark
    Registered Users Posts: 2,637 ✭✭✭brightspark


    DublinDilbert wrote: »
    Its too hard to tell if they can easily be split without doing some testing at the back of the switch. It sounds like there's 3 wires going to the back of the switch. 2 of these wires should be joined together in a single terminal.

    There's two options when they are tested:-
    (1) One wire always live, other two wires just live when switch is on.
    (2) Two wires always live, other wire is just live when switch is on.

    If its option #1 above, the switch can be changed to a double very quickly and both lights controlled independently.

    If its option #2 above, a new wire will need to be run back from one of the lights to the switch.

    Most likely to be option #2, it's usually easier and a shorter run to connect the second light to the first light.


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    #7
    brightspark
    Registered Users Posts: 2,637 ✭✭✭brightspark


    flogen wrote: »
    Yep - that's the way there wired.

    To test can I just see what happens when one of the two joined wires is removed from the terminal or is it more a case of seeing which is/are the live wires?

    My advice is for you to stay away from it and ask someone competent to check it out for you.

    However if you insist on risking your life and others, then the suggested test is to be carried out WITHOUT disconnecting any wires.


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