Wall lights

[seals]

Hi, I purchased my house about 18months ago and getting round to doing up the living room, we have wall lights between the chimmey and they look great,

they wire to the same light swith, 2 switchs one for main light and other for wall lights, The issue is that we can only have them on it the main light is on at same time, I would perfer to have one or the other, thanks

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It's likely that who every installed the switch, has terminated the two switches so the link is between com of one and switch live of other.
Can you remove the switch plate (isolate first) explain how the switch is wired, core colours and terminal points for each gang? A picture would also help.

 

[seals]

View media item 55480 View media item 55481

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Need better pics than that, need to see the configeration of terminals that the cables are going to!
You will have terminal points at switch marked com/L, L1 and maybe L2 on both gangs. Likely a link cable between going between both gangs.
Need to know how these are terminated.

 

[seals]

can rerally get the out as they are really tight with out unwireing them, the wall lights have there own wire from the light to the switch as they have been out in after the original lights, is it half a job for the people we purchased it off

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

As above post edited, can you state where the cables are terminated on each gang?

What you should have is a permanent live cable, this is normally at the com/L of the switch plate.
Then you will have a cable at L1 or L2 of one gang and a different cable at L1 or L2 of the second gang (these are the switch lives)

Then in this case I assume a small link cable has been put across both gangs. But has been installed that it will only allow wall lights on with main ceiling lights, this should be across the two coms/L of each gang for separate function of lights.
Do you have any means of testing for live conductors?

 

[seals]

Thanks that kinda makes sense, its a bit dark to be messing now, will have a look tomorrow, but I think what you wrote is correct,It has been installed that it will only allow wall lights on with main ceiling lights

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You want a configuration like this:

Picture Title

• PrenticeBoyofDerry
• 19 Jan 2013
• 1

It maybe that your switch plate is not marked the same or/and has both the com/L terminals at the top of plate for each gang and both L1 and L2 at bottom, but the concept will be the same, so check the marking at the terminals on switch plate.
If you have a voltage indicator, it will help to determine which cable is perm live, just in case the installer has not followed the traditional methods.