Adding outdoor light to old style 2way light switch (strapper). Can’t get new light to function correctly

[Umy786]

Hi all

As the post says I’m trying to add an outdoor light by connecting it to an existing 1 gang 2 way switch, thought it’d be simple enough until I opened the switch and realised it was an old style 2 way called a strapper?

I thought to wire it by live to common and to add the neutral to L1/L2 but nothing seems to happen, in fact when there’s a bulb inside the outdoor fitting the light ceases to work until I unscrew the bulb, tried an LED lamp and that causes the existing light in the hallway (which the light switch is connected to to come on half dim (no dimmers btw) with the light switch off & then fully illuminated when switching the light switch on

Very confused as I’ve never come across this

Could someone please offer some guidance?

Many thanks

 

[pete01]

The strappers aren't neutrals, are there any neutrals in a connector block not connected to the switch? I guess not....

 

[EFLImpudence]

 

[ericmark]

There are two-way electronic switches which don't need any wires, but that will only help if one of the two switches has a neutral.

 

[Umy786]

The strappers aren't neutrals, are there any neutrals in a connector block not connected to the switch? I guess not....

Nope

 

[endecotp]

Your first step to work out what to do should be to draw a circuit diagram of the current installation.

 

[Umy786]

Your first step to work out what to do should be to draw a circuit diagram of the current installation.

That’s one of the issues, it’s an old house with old wiring and apart from knowing this switch I’m trying to add the new light to is wired to the other 2 way switch and at the light fitting which the 2 switches control there’s only a live and neutral (as far as I can tell)

 

[AndyPRK]

Best off connecting it to a socket circuit, via a 13A FCU.
You will then have a live and netural available at the same location.

If you have a black or blue junction in the back box of the light switch, it maybe possible to do it as you are attempting

 

[Taylortwocities]

That’s one of the issues, it’s an old house with old wiring and apart from knowing this switch I’m trying to add the new light to is wired to the other 2 way switch and at the light fitting which the 2 switches control there’s only a live and neutral (as far as I can tell)

Its probably wired the way that lots of older houses are wired in this country. Under the floor/in the ceiling there is a multi junction box, essentially the light is wired like this:

At the switch you will have a live and a switched live. I don't know for sure, but this is the possible way yours is done.
At the light you will have a neutral and the switched live that comes from the switch.
If you follow the wires on the diagram you'll (hopefully) understand how its done.

You'll need to run wires from the existing switch and the existing light to do what you plan, or locate the magic junction box.

Post a photo of the switch wiring. we like photos.

 

[FrodoOne]

As the post says I’m trying to add an outdoor light by connecting it to an existing 1 gang 2 way switch, thought it’d be simple enough until I opened the switch and realised it was an old style 2 way called a strapper?

From your statement concerning "strappers",
it appears that the 2-way switches are wired according to the following diagram
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/.../media/File:3-way_switches_position_2_uni.svg

(However, it may be that they are wired according to this diagram
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiway_switching#/media/File:California-3-way.svg
[Please ignore the "Americanisms of "3-Way" (meaning "2-Way")
and
the use of the term "Hot" instead of "Line".]

You should be able to see that what you need to do is to extend the Switched-Line and Neutral conductors
from the existing Light-Fitting
to the corresponding terminals on the new Light-Fitting.

Working from the second switch on each of these diagrams will give you access to the Switched-Line
but
it may not give you access to the Neutral.

 

[ebee]

Lighting circuits are the ones most likely to catch out the inexperienced because they can be more complicated than other common circuits.

If we think that there might be three main basic ways of wiring lighting circuits and there might be a few variations on each of those and you might have a system that uses a mixture of these anyway then you might start to guess how complicated it might appear to some without a lot of experience.

So it’s simpler to go back to basics.
You need a (confirmed) L to feed your new switch and then a (confirmed) return from your switch to the L of your light fitting. Then you need. (Confirmed) N to the N of your light fitting .
That should make it actually work.
You need to confirm that the L is a proper L and the N is a proper N , irrespective of what the colours might lead you to think.
Off course you need to ensure any E is in place for safety too.

Once you have those basic things in place then you might consider 2 way/3 way switching etc - once again there are a few ways of achieving this too

 

[morqthana]

You need to confirm that the L is a proper L and the N is a proper N

And on the same circuit.

 

[blup]

Just tap into the rose

 

[Taylortwocities]

Just tap into the rose

Read the thread

at the light fitting ........ there’s only a live and neutral (as far as I can tell)

whic I suppose is switched and neutral. No permanent live/

 

[FrodoOne]

The original Post included the statement

I’m trying to add an outdoor light by connecting it to an existing 1 gang 2 way switch,

I took this to mean that the OP was trying to add a light in parallel with the existing 2-Way switched light, wherever it may be -
as (apparently) did others.

If the object is to add a new Switch controlling a new Light by sourcing Line and Neutral at that existing switch,
that was not clear to me.

As others have indicated,
it will be necessary to obtain connections to BOTH Line and Neutral - from the same circuit -
switch the Line
and
extend the Switched-Line and Neutral to the new Lamp.