Hall/Landing light 2 way lighting

[ShaunWa]

At the moment I have one light downstairs and two lights upstairs. I have a single light switch downstairs
And a two way gang switch upstairs. I can operate all lights from upstairs but can’t turn the upstairs
Lights on from downstairs.
Wiring is as follows:- Two cable downstairs Cable 1 and 2 ,Two cable upstairs cable 2 and 4
Downstairs I have cable 1 black connected to L2 and red connected to L1. Cable 2 Black is connected to C red
Not connected

Upstairs
The switch has 2 banks of connections Top L1 unconnected L2 black from cable 3 Common is strapped to Common form bottom bank.
Bottom Common also has a red wire from cable 3 bottom L1 red from cable 4 and bottom L2 black from cable 4.

Cable 4 controls the downstairs lights from the upstairs switch.

As I’m decorating at the moment I thought it would be good to be able to operate the upstairs light from downstairs.
An electrician mate of mine looked at the wiring and said yeah no problem you won’t need to run a new cable.
Trying to pin him down is another matter.
Is it possible still to have the same switch layout so that the downstairs single switch will operate both upstairs and downstairs and still have a two way switch upstairs and just change the linking strap?

 

[Adam_151]

I understand what you are saying, and can see what needs to be done, but its probably best explained via use of a diagram, which I'll try and make time to draw out for you in the morning.

 

[ShaunWa]

Cheers, Looking forward to seeing the diagram.

 

[chrislangham]

You need to run a 3 core +cpc cable between the 2 two way switches.
L1 L2 are normally "strapped" to L2 L3 using the cores of the above.
You will now be using the harmonised wiring cable colours so red/yellow /blue are replaced with brown grey black.
The CPC must be connected with the others in the patress boxes throughout and make sure that all the strappers are indentified with sleeving to show that they are live conductors (brown sleeving)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Don't you think that (assuming he can get some) it would make far more sense to stick to the old colours rather than unnecessarily introducing the new ones?

 

[chrislangham]

It would make sense I suppose

 

[Adam_151]

Oh, sorry, tatally forgot about this, will do it now

 

[Lectrician]

You will now be using the harmonised wiring cable colours so red/yellow/blue are replaced with brown grey black.

.......Brown Black Grey (assuming we are speaking respectivley).

 

[plugwash]

assuming you plan to use the same replacements for single phase applications as the NICIEC suggest rather than what would be logical based on past use of colors yes.

not that there was any real standard for two way switching in the first place.

 

[Lectrician]

Even with the NICEIC guides, Brown Black Grey stands -

YELLOW BECOMES BLACK

Therefore, the earth of a single phase and neutral cct has the BLACK as earth, and the GREY as the neutral.

Just always transpose as:

RED...........BROWN
YELLOW.....BLACK
BLUE.........GREY

If we all sing from the same hyme sheet from the start, it will be easier 10yr down the line!