2 way lighting

[ldoodle]

Hiya,

This has been bugging me for ages now. Basically we have a light at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom.

The (single) switch upstairs only controls the light upstairs, but the (double) switch downstairs can control both lights, independently.

I would like it to be so that both switches can control both lights, but only have a single switch at each 'end' of the stairs so they're either both off or both on.

I'm confident wiring single way circuits but not too sure on 2 (or more) way circuits. Am I correct in saying (for ease of writing, S1 and L1 is downstairs and S2 and L2 is upstairs. S is for switch and L is for light);

S1 is linked to L1 and L2 (seperate rockers on switch)
S1 is linked to S2 via the 2-way terminal
S2 is only liked to L2

Before asking how I can wire it to my liking I want to understand correctly first.

Thanks

 

[ericmark]

Standard Lighting

• ericmark
• 17 Aug 2008
• 13

Standard lighting diagram

The light switchs sometimes have labels using common and sometimes it's called L1 and so the what goes where will change as a result.
So assuming marked with common the two way switch is wired with L1 and L2 to light and power does not matter which way around and the second switch is wired like to like.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ldoodle]

First you have to make sure both lights are on the same circuit. Turn them both ON and pull the light fuses/switch off the mcbs one at a time.

Good point. Will check that tonight.

 

[ldoodle]

They're wired on the relevant circuit, so downstairs light is on downstairs circuit and upstairs light is on the upstairs circuit.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ldoodle]

What you must not do, is to link the circuits together that would be very dangerous.

Sounds like that's why they didn't do it in the first place.

The downstairs light is right by the front door (in the ceiling). The cable for the upstairs light (switched from the downstairs light switch), I believe, runs through the master bedroom, up into the loft then to the light fixing.

I will check connections at the light fixings themselves to give a better picture, but it won't be for a couple of weeks now as going on holiday tomorrow.

Thanks for the help so far.