Wiring a twin switch for 2 separate lights

[Dimwit1960]

Sorry for being a thick of, but I need some guidance please.

I have just installed 2 down lights under the stairs and want to wire them up to a twin light switch. The left switch controls the kitchen light and is wired ...

Black to COM
Red to L1

Thats fine...it turns the kitchen light on and off.

The right switch is the one I want to use for the under stairs lights.( They have a BROWN, a BLUE and an earth cable. )

The right switch was PREVIOUSLY wired with a cable coming in from somewhere that had a YELLOW going into the COM, and a red and blue going into the L1 and L2 respectively, however I've no idea what that switch was for as it never seemed to work anything. So I've disconnected that so I can use it for the down lights.

Please can someone tell how I need to connect the brown and blue cables for the down lights? I've looked online but am still confused. Need it explaining like a child please!!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Your lights will not work without a neutral to them, which by the evidence given, you do not have at the switch.

Also is your staircase a wooden one and are the downlights fire rated?

 

[Dimwit1960]

Thank you for your quick response. Thought maybe the neutral would have been one of the other 3 wires I've disconnected, but as there was no link wire between both Coms maybe there's not.

The lights are rated Energy Class D and suitable for plasterboard fitting, which is what I have done, with the wooden staircase being about 3 inches above that.

 

[Dimwit1960]

Sorry, you say my lights won't work without a neutral to them, yet the kitchen light works fine from the existing connections??

 

[Echo the husky]

Your kitchen light will likely be wired like this, follow the wires and you will see there is currently no neutral connection at the switch. You will need to get a neutral to either the switch or the downlights to get the new lights to work, and it must be from the same circuit as the live. There are a number of ways of doing this and some are shown in the link here.

You also need to be fully sure as to what that disconnected cable does, just because the switch appears to do nothing doesn't mean the cable is not live.

 

[Dimwit1960]

Thank you for your help. I've abandoned the project for now and replaced the wires into the sockets they came out of originally on the unused switch. Will take another look when I have the time.

 

[Spark123]

The other switch sounds like it is/was part of a two way lighting setup.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Sorry, you say my lights won't work without a neutral to them, yet the kitchen light works fine from the existing connections??

The kitchen lights will have a neutral at the light fitting, that is why they work! You have not provided a neutral at your downights, you have just installed a twin and earth cable, that cannot serve as a neutral unless it is connected to a neutral, you do not have neutral at the existing switch, just switch line conductors. Ideally you should have done some research on how electrics work before going forward with this project.
As your staircase will very likely be considered a means of escape from fire/smoke, I would advise you use the correctly rated fittings, again you have shown a lack in research into the tasks you are undertaking. Thus putting yourself/family/pets/property and visitors to the property at risk.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=part b of the building regulations in regard to fire safety