Hi i'm stuck! I want to wire a 3 or 4 way lighting circuit. I already have 3 core and earth to all the switchs, but as i'm using a specific gang type 6 switch panal, i cant use an intermediate switch. I'm sure there is a way as i recall an eletrican getting over this problem on another job. Also i want to wire 9 exterior movement sencors, wire 3 core and earth, so that if any of them is trigured, it switchs on all the flood lights. So i'm thinking these need to be wired in a simalar 8 way, wiring? Although i know how to wire a 2 way circuit, i dont really understand how it works, so cant work this one out myself! Any ideas?
4 and more way wiring
- Thread starter johnodiy
- Start date
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The first and last switches are 2-way switches, and the others intermediate switches. The trick is to cable the switches that can't be replaced with intermediates as the first or last.
All the intermediates would need 4 wires to them, so one 3C&E isn't enough.
Wiring all the PIRs in parallel should achieve what you want, providing there's no unexpected interaction between the sensors.
All the intermediates would need 4 wires to them, so one 3C&E isn't enough.
Wiring all the PIRs in parallel should achieve what you want, providing there's no unexpected interaction between the sensors.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:intermediate#light-circuit-with-multiple-intermediate-switches
If a multiple gang intermediate switch is not available for what you want you can build them using grid switches.
If a multiple gang intermediate switch is not available for what you want you can build them using grid switches.
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TicklyT said:
You can use a single run of three core and earth. An intermediate switch has two pair of terminals at opposite ends. The two cores which start from L1 and L2 on an end switch go to one pair of terminals and the third one goes into a piece of choc block in the switch box. Connect the next length of three core and earth in the same way, ie colours matching, to the other pair of terminals and the choc block.
Space cat said:
NO. You are miss-reading or miss-interperating. (Is that a word!)
If you do as you suggest, (and as expected), you would have TWO sets of 3 core and earth.
B
breezer
technicaly it is the same 3 core and earth, all you do is loop in and out of each switch with it.TicklyT said:
or try it this way
you run a 3 core and earth from the first switch in a strait horizontal line to the last switch
you then chop the 3 core and earth in half (oh dear you have broken it) you then join it agin with an intermidiate switch
repeat as required
In reality you can't do it since the 3 core and earth will be too short when you chop it in half, but its still the same 3 core and earth
johnodiy said:
Lectrician said:
I think I see it now. The cables are already in and so, as TicklyT says, there aren't enough cores at the intermediate switch locations. Now that I think about it I've got a setup with the intermediate switch far removed from the end switches, each of which is half of a double. I used two flat twin and earth cables to get to it.
Oh, if i'm reading this right, there is no way i can do this without an intermediate switch? Is there no way at all with a 2 way switch in the middle, please! The range of switch's i have don't do an intermediate switch, (4 gang varialite). What am going to do!!!!!!!!!
John
John
There is no way to achieve true 3-way switching using only 2-way switches. You will need a 2-pole change-over relay to perform the function of the intermediate switch. For 4-way switching you can use another relay but you can also pull a neat trick; use two of your 2-way switches, wired as if for 2-way light switching, to control the relay coil.
If cpocal's experience is anything to go by, connecting the PIRs into all of this might not be as simple as you think. Follow breezer's "clicky" link and you'll see what can happen.
If cpocal's experience is anything to go by, connecting the PIRs into all of this might not be as simple as you think. Follow breezer's "clicky" link and you'll see what can happen.
Latest. I've got myself a simalar looking intermediate switch now, I have 2 x 3core and earth to this switch (one each from the other 2 switchs), which i can wire as adviced, but can i also wire in the switch wire from the light fitting to this? I asume if this can be done, the brown (or red permanantly live wire) will go to common (choc block) and the Blue (or black, switched live, Sleaved red \ brown) goes to L1? Does that sound right?
Cheers for all the help.
Cheers for all the help.
Put the permanant live into L1 and the switched live into L2
You can achieve two way switching from any number of switches without using intermediates but it would involve industrial style switches and relays - we have these at work where you don't switch the light , you switch a relay.
I have recently added an intermedaite using 2*T&E from the point where the 3&E passes above the switch - you do not need to take the third wire into every switch, just the end ones. If you have enough wires into the back boxes this would work (I have the junction box in the loft so it is accessible).
I have recently added an intermedaite using 2*T&E from the point where the 3&E passes above the switch - you do not need to take the third wire into every switch, just the end ones. If you have enough wires into the back boxes this would work (I have the junction box in the loft so it is accessible).
Hi Rf lighting. The intermediate switch I bought, a MEM grid type, does not have any indication which terminal is what, so i'm guessing that at the top you have L1 and L2, and at the bottom the other pair of L1 and L2? So I put the live feed into the bottom of the intermediate switch, L1, and the switch live to bottom L2. It did not work? The light came on but stayed on no matter which of the 3 switchs I switched, so I tried the top two terminals, same thing. Any ideas anyone?
Who's idea was it to have 3 way lighting!! Keep it simple from now on!
Who's idea was it to have 3 way lighting!! Keep it simple from now on!
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