Wall Lights - Help with switches?

[Hightowermark]

Ok we have wall switches in our living room, and it looks like the only way they were powered by a pull switch. As the light switch in the LRM is only a single switch, and inside there are only wires for one, so it's not powered there.

Now i thought it might have been powered by the main light switch, and wired with that.

So we bought wall lights ages ago, but they didnt have switches on the lights, so when i connected them they stayed on at all times, as there was nothing to knock them off.

So as i was b&q today i seen a switch thing with a pull string on/off switch, now i tried wiring this, and did it both ways straight from the wall, and from the light itself. when it was on the light came on, then when i tried knocking them off it tripped out everytime.

Now is there a way to get these lights connected, or will i have to buy lights with a switch added

If i have missed somthing, please ask

thank You

 

[AdamW]

I can think of one possibility worth checking.

The lights are (hopefully!) powered from the lighting circuit. Thus, the supply cables for them may be easy to find. I presume you have a ceiling light in that room too? Try opening the ceiling rose (you open it by just unscrewing the "lid"). How many cables can you see, and which terminals do they all go into? A diagram would be great if you can figure out how!

What I am getting at here is that if you can find the wall-light supply cables here, you could wire them to be switched by the wall switch. It isn't ideal as they would come on with the ceiling light, but it is better than tripping.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hightowermark - based on some of the things you've said about lights being "powered" by switches, and adding a new switch wired "straight from the wall, and from the light itself", I wonder if you know how lighting circuits work.

Have a look at this:

http://www.diydick.com/Electrics/electrical-content-pages/lighting-circuits.htm

 

[sasolshares]

Hi,
I have the same situation, but have not got round to resolving. Will try Adamw's suggestion of checking the main ceiling rose to see if supply wires originate there. I was considering installing radio switch modules in the wall light fittings to operate with remote control as I have done for various outdoor lights.

 

[Hightowermark]

My mates dad poped around and he said that i need one going to netural and one to live.

It all works now

 

[ban-all-sheds]

My mates dad poped around and he said that i need one going to netural and one to live.

It all works now

One what going to neutral and to live?