2 lights on a two way switch

[vic11]

Hi all,

I would like to wire up two lights, one at the rear of the house with a 2-way switch and the other outside the garage with a 2-way switch so they both work together. The garage is about 70 feet from the house. There is a junction box in the kitchen roof that can supply the power (spare light circuit with nothing else on it) I've done the above with just the one light connected to two 2-way switches (ie: stairs) but not two lights with that amount of distance between them. Would appreciate some help.

Thanks
Vic

 

[breezer]

use a torch, it will be easier.

I am being serious, you will need to run a cable to you r garage for lights and then you will wnat aockets etc, it should be done using a swa cable it will not be cheap, its not a diy job and notifiable underpart p.

stick with a torch. sorry

 

[vic11]

Hi Breezer, thanks for your reply.

No batteries in the torch.

Not worried about how difficult or costly it will be and I'm quite capable of doing the job. All I'm after is a diagram of how it should be done.

 

[Lectrician]

You would need to run a 4 core SWA cable for the lighting (switching and the light).

If you then needed sockets, this would require another cable.

The lighting could be fed from the house, or the shed, via an FCU or CU.

 

[vic11]

Hi Lectrician, thank you for your reply.

Maybe I didn't explain it very well so I'll try again.

I know I will need 4 core cable for the lights and switches.

I don't need sockets (power) as I've already run a power cable to the garage and added the sockets.

Lighting in the garage is also installed.

I now want to use the spare lighting circuit in the kitchen roof for the outside lights only.

One light will be placed at the house end of the garden and one light will be placed at the other end of the garden (garage end)

I then want to be able to control both lights from the house end and the garage end, ie: when you switch the switch off they both go off and when you switch the switch on they both come on.....Just like you would have on a stairs.

I know how to wire up a 2way switch for a single light like you would use on a stairs but this is slightly different in that I want to use two lights which are at different ends of the garden.

There are plenty of diagrams for 2way switch/light wiring, ie: stairs but not for what I want. So I'm hoping someone can come up with a diagram for what I want rather than me trying different ways in the hope it will work.

Hope you understand what I'm trying to do.

Regards
Vic

 

[breezer]

you already know how, but you do not realise that you do.

its wired as two way switching is, except that you have 2 lights, so you wire them in paralel

 

[fireman22]

vic,look in the reference section, scroll down to breezers drawing dated sun 21st march 2004. use a three core and earth (instead of the two core and earth in the drawing) to the first switch at house. this fourth core connect to the neutral. the take a four core and earth to the far switch then run the light fitting from the fourth core neutral and L2 (if you follow breezers drawing ) as this is the switched live. job done

 

[securespark]

I'm quite capable of doing the job.........All I'm after is a diagram of how it should be done.

 

[vic11]

fireman22, breezer & securespark,

Thank you for your replys.

securespark

Ok I can see the funny side of it. I take it you're an electrician.

breezer,

Thanks. Got you.

fireman22

Hi fireman22, thanks for your explanation, appreciated. Have made a diagram but would like it checked out. Is it possible to upload a picture somewhere?

Regards
Vic

 

[Steve]

www.imageshack.com

post link in a reply here.

 

[securespark]

OK. Joking apart, what distance is between the two buildings?

Unless the light fittings are 2x 1000W TH floods, there isn't going to be a great deal of voltage drop.

 

[vic11]

Hi crafty1289

Thanks for the link.

securespark

No, about 70 feet.

You can view the diagram here:

http://www.esnips.com/web/switch

A text file is also available with some information but if you need to know anything else please ask.

Regards
Vic

 

[Steve]

that would work, but i'm sure there's a method that doesn't involve running 2 lots of cable. <scratches head.

 

[plugwash]

sure there is

just use one peice of 4 core SWA (with the armor as earth) rather than two runs of T&E.

 

[Steve]

<wishes someone would draw a nicer version of that diagram>

sorry, plugwash, it just doesn't cut the mustard!