Double switch to 2 lights

[pgtips]

Hi,
I have a double light switch in the kitchen. One side switches on the ceiling lights, the other side was left by electrician for cabinet lights in the future. Kitchen lights working perfectly.

Coil of wire from the other side of the switch in the loft. Today I added a socket to it to test (it will be a plug in 12v supply) but switched on or off it's dead.

Pictures attached of the switch and wiring? What is not correct?

Thank you in advance
Pg

 

[EFLImpudence]

You don't have a Neutral.

You can't just wire a socket - or a light - to the two wires from the switch.
You will need to connect the socket to a supply and then have the switch wires interrupt the line(live) conductor.

 

[pgtips]

Of course, yes I take that back about neutral, it's just a black wire, 2 of them, one each side going into L2, red into L on each side.

So the roll of cable in the loft I can just choose to be neutral (red in, black out) l then run a separate feed into the socket, live, the one in the loft to the existing lights would be suitable, and so makes or breaks neutral.

It was the red/black and one side working that threw me
Thank you !

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes I take that back about neutral, just a black wire, 2 of them, one each side going into L2, red into L on each side.

Yes, I know.

They are the switched lines(lives) for the two lights.

 

[Jurassicspark]

You can't do what you want. There might be a junction box somewhere up in the loft though have a look. As EFL says they are switched lives for the lights not neutrals.

 

[pgtips]

Ok, yes. Post crossover, I'll use these as lives, take neutral from loft, probably still the lights but I'll check first.

I feel a bit of a tit but if I hadn't asked I'd be looking at this completely wrong. I basically wired a plug to a dead switch !

I'll locate a suitable neutral feed, join both Ls on the switch to give me live and use the red wire out L1, I'm happier live being red.

Thank you, helped me a lot

 

[Taylortwocities]

I'm happier live being red.

If you are using any colour for live, other than brown (or red in the old days), then it should be sleeved brown (or red) to warn the next person what its function might be..

 

[oceansoul]

" take neutral from loft, probably still the lights"

"I'll locate a suitable neutral feed,"

You need to take the neutral from the same circuit as the live. If you have RCBOs you will definitely have problems, and with twin RCD you have a chance of problems. This is called borrowed neutral.

 

[ericmark]

I would say wires left dead for 18+ years should be tested before they are used. I have done it myself, put in a cable with the intension of doing some thing, then when I have returned to use it, could not remember exactly what I had done. We know more than 18 years old due to colours.

 

[SUNRAY]

I would say wires left dead for 18+ years should be tested before they are used. I have done it myself, put in a cable with the intension of doing some thing, then when I have returned to use it, could not remember exactly what I had done. We know more than 18 years old due to colours.

Yep.

I'm doing a little bit of work at home in a 'roof void'. Our bedroom side walls are under 5ft high and the rest follows the roof. So we have this triangular space, this one is riddled with pipes and cables from a thin doorbell to 110mm soil pipe. Have needed to get in there due to a toilet problem I have at last made inroads to sorting it out before adding more insulation. There are 4 T&E and several draw strings which I've obviously laid in for future use but I have no clue where the all disappear to...