Outside light to 2 way switch

[bodge it and leg it]

I have just installed an outside light and want to connect the wire from the light to a 2 way switch(replacing my current 1 way switch in the room) I have copied the wiring on the 1 way switch and wired this up to the the first switch on the 2 way.
Now lies my problem where do the neutral and the live(outside light) go into the second switch on the 2 way.

Any help and the sarcasm that comes with it is much appreciated.

 

[breezer]

it doesnt work like that.

see the sticky for refence section for a drawing

 

[bodge it and leg it]

Ok thanks,
A link to the diagram would be appreciated !

As`for it doesn't work like that I don't understand.
If I connect the outside light wires to the current single light switch.. ie.
Blue into the black and red into the brown it works so why not on a two way switch.

Thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

You will need a 3-wire (plus earth) cable from the existing switch to the second switch.

To see the diagrams go back to the Electrics UK list of postings and right at the top you'll see something that's called 'sticky'.
The two-way lighting wiring diagrams are the first thing you'll find.

Enjoy!

 

[RF Lighting]

See the FAQ section Here

Look on page three at a post made by Lectrician
Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:32 pm (about half way down the page)

 

[bodge it and leg it]

Why would I need 3 way cable.
I am just replacing a one way light switch (this controls the room light) with a two way to accomodate the outside light. One switch to control the room light the other to switch on the outside light. The single light has 2 red wires and one black (com - red , terminal 1 - black , terminal 2 - red) and earth of course.
Why cant I link these wires into the second switch .Like I said before if I put the brown and blue into he single swith the light works.

Thanks








9

 

[RF Lighting]

One switch to control the room light the other to switch on the outside light.

Well why didn't you say this in the first place?

You want to replace a 1 gang switch with a 2 gang switch.

There is such a vast casam of a difference between 1 & 2 GANG, and 1 & 2 WAY it is untrue.

 

[bodge it and leg it]

Ok ok,
Sorry. Still bodging it, not had time to leg it yet.

So what's the solution RF?

Thanks

 

[securespark]

The light you have connected to the 1G1W switch I presume has no neutral connection, so you will have connected it to the live & switched live of the existing light fitting. I presume the existing light was off when the new one "worked"?

You need to read up (either a DIY electrics manual or the reference diagrams to understand fully how a circuit works before you go any further).

It is far better to do it this way and learn the basics rather than just ask us for the mechanics of what to do.

 

[bodge it and leg it]

The new light (outside) does have neutral (blue) wire. My current 1WGS(room) has black wire , is this not neutral.
What will happen if I put the two wires(blue/brown) from the outside light into 2WGS2 term'ls 1 and 2 and link a wire from S1 to S2. ie red to brown. will this not feed it with a live.

 

[securespark]

You definately need to read up!!

When you wire the new light as described, it will work when the existing light is switched off, but when you switch the existing light on, the new light would extinguish.

Think about your "neutral" for a moment. The red at the switch is a live. If that black wire were neutral, what do you think would happen on closing the switch?

 

[bodge it and leg it]

Would the neutral then become live.

I no I should read up and learn more and with time I will.

I am just short of time at the moment. This is the reason why I have posted the question, sorry for being presumptious but I thought forums like this were to help and maybe give an answer to ones questions.

Thanks.

 

[securespark]

No! The neutral and live would present a dead short, and the lighting protective device would operate....!

I'm trying to help.... to help you see that you need to learn a bit before blindly continuing with what you're doing. This is how accidents happen.

Can you see my point?

Short of time....not sure which wire goes where........BANG!........RIP.......

 

[bodge it and leg it]

Yes I see your point .............

Maybe it would have been easier to a put a plug on the end the damn wire.

So to try and make sense of all this I have two bloody wires(not inc earth) from the outside light and I have 2gang switch which now has the wires for the room light in switch 2.
As for switch 1 I am unable to put the outside light wires in this....correct.

I trip to the local shop for candles then.

 

[securespark]

You need to source a neutral from the loop.