Lighting Wiring Please Help!!

[liam2282]

My first post so please bear with me!!

I moved into a house which has wiring hanging out of the (conservatory) wall in blocks as I assume the lights were removed by the nice bailiffs!!

Essentially I have 3 lights and 2 switches as follows;

Switch - Light - Light - Switch - Light

The switches (both dimmers) are already wired, the middle two lights have the following in a 4 block connector - 1 Yellow - 2 x Reds (connected together) - 2 x Blues (connected together) - 1 Yellow.

The last light only has Red and Black so this is easy and works from the 2nd switch only.

Seperate earth exists on all connections.

I seem to have tried every combination in order to get the middle two going but no joy as yet. I am assuming the yellows relate to the switches?? Please please help as I really need want these working by the weekend!!!

Thank you

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What conductors are present at the switches?

Have you looked through this: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:two-way-lighting?

Do you have a multimeter?

 

[liam2282]

thanks for your reply ban-all-sheds, I have unscrewed the switches and have drawn a diagram of where all the wires end up, I hope this helps!!

thanks for your help.

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• liam2282
• 5 Jan 2009
• 1

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[ban-all-sheds]

You ought to be able to see from that what will happen when each switch is operated...

 

[liam2282]

Unfortunately not – I must be doing something wrong with the reds and yellows in the middle blocks.

At present the reds are joined together and the yellows are all separate (as they were when I moved in).

Sorry for being such a novice, if someone can just tell me an idiots guide i.e. (light 1) blue to blue, red to red etc. it will be very much appreciated!!

thanks alot

 

[ban-all-sheds]

In one position the switch connects COM to L1, in the other position it connects COM to L2.

Print out 4 copies of your drawing, and by hand draw in the 4 combinations of switch positions, and see which wires become live when.

 

[liam2282]

ok forgive me if I get this completely wrong...

Connect all wires to corresonding colours at the two middle lights i.e

blue - blue, yellow - yellow and red - red.

Then connect the two middle lights - brown to yellows and blue to blues for both??

To my simple mind this would seem to work through both switches for all positions??

Thanks for your help

 

[Spark123]

Nope,
if you label the lamps from the left hand side of your drawing 1, 2, 3, which switch controls which lamp?
It isn't a 2 way arrangement, it is just 2 single way lights. The blue is being used as neutral, I suspect the yellow between the 2 fittings isn't used (if not sleeve it gn/ye and connect it to earth) - that would mean light 1 will operate from the LH switch, light 2 and 3 from the right hand switch.
Light 1, the lamp will need to connect to the L1 from the switch which is the yellow core (sleeve it red), the 2 reds need to carry through the permanent 230v so they both need to join together and the blues (neutrals) need to join together and also connect to the N for the lamp.
Light 2 is similar to Light 1 in that the red carries permanent live through, blues carry through and connect to the N, yellow from the switch (sleeve it red!) connects to the lamp live.

 

[liam2282]

Many thanks to you both it is really appreciated.

I really should have paid more attention in my science lessons, looking at it now I can see how logical it is...!

I will wire as suggested above and all being well shall be all lit up!

Thanks again.

 

[NoPoke]

Tell us how you expect the switches and lights to work once you have finished.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

To my simple mind this would seem to work through both switches for all positions??

It really depends on what you mean by "work", i.e. what you want each switch to do when.

Print out 4 copies of your drawing, and by hand draw in the 4 combinations of switch positions, and see which wires become live when.

Did you actually do this?

If you connect the wires and lights as you suggested what will each switch do?

 

[liam2282]

I am happy with how spark123 indicated the lights would work i.e. one switch for one, another switch for 2 as this seems to make sense seeing as the room is open plan but kind of in two parts.

I didnt actually print off the sheets as I tried to use the old noggin to work it out on screen - alas I shouldn't have!

If I did as I said would the outcome be;

Switch 1 on Switch 2 off; all lights on?
Switch 1 on Switch 2 on; all lights on?
Switch 1 off Switch 2 on; all lights on?
Switch 1 off Switch 2 off; all lights off?

Although this is all very new to me (I think I changed a single switch once before...), so I suspect this is wrong!

Hence my reason for asking you guys for help.

Cheers

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If I did as I said would the outcome be;

Switch 1 on Switch 2 off; all lights on?
Switch 1 on Switch 2 on; all lights on?
Switch 1 off Switch 2 on; all lights on?
Switch 1 off Switch 2 off; all lights off?

Yup - that's how it would behave.

Would that be what you wanted?

 

[liam2282]

Would that be what you wanted?

no... !

But at least I am getting somewhere in finally understanding how this works!

Thanks for all your help, I will go with what Spark123 suggested and let you know how I get on.

cheers

 

[NoPoke]

before you go with what was suggested tell us what you expect/desire. There is more than one way of connecting the bits and as you have worked out some are more useful than others.

Which pair of lights do you want to be paralleled?
Which dimmer should control the pair of paralleled lights?
Do you actually want a single dimmer for all three lamps?

Tell us your ideal arrangement. You never know it may be simple to achieve.