THREE WAY LIGHT SWITCHING NEED HELP

[boratonpurim]

can u help?
on regular light switches all the netural are tight up together (not on the switch.. i'm wiring a THREE WAY LIGHT SWITCH just double checking if the netural is being used on the switch???

 

[afswift]

Hi,

The neutral should not be switched.

You wont normally find a neutral behind the light switch,

but there maybe a black wire (or blue wire) as a switched live feed but this should be indicated as a phase conductor.

 

[boratonpurim]

well i have a three way light switch in my house. 3 switches working together on 3 lights ( each switch turns on all three lights) and as u can check on this link http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/ELEC_3_WAY.htm
all wires are being used on the switch.. unlike a regular 2 way where the neutrals are tied up together!!..

here is how its wired

switch 1. 1.5 2 WIRES + E from consumer unit . 1.5 2 WIRES+E TO LIGHT 3 WIRES+E TO SECOND SWITCH


SWITCH 2. 3 WIRES+E FROM SWITCH 1. 3 WIRES+E TO SWITCH 3. 2 WIRES+E TO LIGHT

SWITCH 3. 3 WIRES+ EARTH FROM SWITCH 2. 2 WIRES+E TO LIGHT...

AND IN THE DIAGRAM IT DOESN'T SHOW WHERE TO CONNECT THE WIRE THAT GOES TO THE LIGHTS

DOES ANYONE HAVE A BETTER LINK THAT EXPLAINS IT? OR WOULD ANYONE BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHERE THE WIRES THATS GOING TO THE LIGHTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CONNECT 2? THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

[Taylortwocities]

In the link to the pictures it shows how to wire up a three way switch system. in the pictures there is no neutral shown and the neutral does not go to the light switch.
This is normal practise in the "loop in" method of wiring lighting circuits. Pleas do not assume that a wire is a neutral just because it is blue (or black) in colour. It may be a conductor that become live when the switch is turned on...

A diagram including the wiring at the light rose is to be found in the WIKI at the top of the UK Electrical forum page.

 

[boratonpurim]

thanks man ur info was very helpfull

 

[ColJack]

bloody cowboy electricians these days..

switch 1, you have live in, live out, and strappers to the next light..

switch 2 you have strappers in, and strappers out .. this is an intermediate switch..

switch 3, you have strappers in and switched live to the light..

there should be 3 neutrals in a connector block on switch 1, with the 2 lives from the T+E's into the COM terminal of the switch..

then 2 strapper wires from the 3core+E into L1 and L2..
the neutral should be carried by the blue cable or black cable in the 3core depending on the cable colours..


at switch 2 you will have 2 neutrals ( blue or black from above ) into a connector block, then 2 strappers from one switch into the L1 IN and L2 IN terminals, and 2 strappers to the next switch into the L1 OUT and L2 OUT terminals ( or whatever they are marked... usually 2 strappers in the top, and 2 out of the bottom of the switch.. )

at switch 3 you will have 2 neutrals into a terminal block ( 1 from the intermediate switch in the 3Core+E, and 1 to the light in the T+E ).
2 strappers from the intermediate switch into L1 and L2 of the switch ( same colours as the outgoing ones from switch 1. ) and 1 switched live to the light ( the Live colour from the T+E to the light.. )

 

[boratonpurim]

thanks man for the advice. actually the three switches are timer (push) switches so no intemidiate needed.. i wired it simply like u would wire a simple switch n it works fine. i got confused with the intermidiate but i realised that u dont need it for timer switches since u dont need a three way...... thanks guys