Do you mean like this?
but keep the live wire continuous at first light as in drawing 1?
2 lights, one spur, only one light working
- Thread starter mccanno
- Start date
Do you mean like this?
but keep the live wire continuous at first light as in drawing 1?
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What you have drawn at the first switch, the blue wire is not a neutral, it's a switched live, it's just not been marked up with sleeping or brown tape.
are you referring to the most recent diagram in this post, or the first?
Sorry, ffirst picture, iPad wasn't showin other at the time.
From your recent pic, the blue wire in the 2gang switch is not a neutral, it's a switched live. The live is going from the light (but not into the light) to the switch and back and powering the light.... To allow the electricnto be switched on or off.
Your neutral is at the light, or at a jb feeding the light.
From your recent pic, the blue wire in the 2gang switch is not a neutral, it's a switched live. The live is going from the light (but not into the light) to the switch and back and powering the light.... To allow the electricnto be switched on or off.
Your neutral is at the light, or at a jb feeding the light.
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Right then here goes.
You need to get a grip and identify what is a neutral conductor, what is switch live and what is a permanent live.
The loop in method
From you junction box:
Take Permanent live (brown) to light fitting, terminating at either a ceiling rose loop or a connection block, this is not the live terminal at the light.
Take the neutral(blue) form the junction box and terminate at neutral at first light.
Then earth and terminate at earth terminal.
Please note the live terminal of light one is still empty.
From light one we then follow as below to light two.
(Brown/Perm live to loop, Blue/Neutral to Neutral, earth to earth)l
Note also no conductor is in the live side of fitting.
Then back to light one from light one we run our twin and earth to the switch, the blue core is now sleeved brown to indicate it not a neutral but now a switched live.
The brown core is still a permanent live and the earth is still earth.
At light one we terminate brown core (perm live) to the loop at rose or terminal block previously mentioned.
This is then terminated at common of switch.
The blue core with brown sleeve (switch live) is terminated at L1 at the switch for first light, the other end at light one is then terminate in the live terminal.
This can then be repeated for light two.
You need to get a grip and identify what is a neutral conductor, what is switch live and what is a permanent live.
The loop in method
From you junction box:
Take Permanent live (brown) to light fitting, terminating at either a ceiling rose loop or a connection block, this is not the live terminal at the light.
Take the neutral(blue) form the junction box and terminate at neutral at first light.
Then earth and terminate at earth terminal.
Please note the live terminal of light one is still empty.
From light one we then follow as below to light two.
(Brown/Perm live to loop, Blue/Neutral to Neutral, earth to earth)l
Note also no conductor is in the live side of fitting.
Then back to light one from light one we run our twin and earth to the switch, the blue core is now sleeved brown to indicate it not a neutral but now a switched live.
The brown core is still a permanent live and the earth is still earth.
At light one we terminate brown core (perm live) to the loop at rose or terminal block previously mentioned.
This is then terminated at common of switch.
The blue core with brown sleeve (switch live) is terminated at L1 at the switch for first light, the other end at light one is then terminate in the live terminal.
This can then be repeated for light two.
Right then here goes.
You need to get a grip and identify what is a neutral conductor, what is switch live and what is a permanent live.
The loop in method
From you junction box:
Take Permanent live (brown) to light fitting, terminating at either a ceiling rose loop or a connection block, this is not the live terminal at the light.
Take the neutral(blue) form the junction box and terminate at neutral at first light.
Then earth and terminate at earth terminal.
Please note the live terminal of light one is still empty.
From light one we then follow as below to light two.
(Brown/Perm live to loop, Blue/Neutral to Neutral, earth to earth)l
Note also no conductor is in the live side of fitting.
Then back to light one from light one we run our twin and earth to the switch, the blue core is now sleeved brown to indicate it not a neutral but now a switched live.
The brown core is still a permanent live and the earth is still earth.
At light one we terminate brown core (perm live) to the loop at rose or terminal block previously mentioned.
This is then terminated at common of switch.
The blue core with brown sleeve (switch live) is terminated at L1 at the switch for first light, the other end at light one is then terminate in the live terminal.
This can then be repeated for light two.
OK. That is how the system is set up. Assuming that all this is in place I have included a diagram of how I intend on wiring the switch, based on my getting a grip of what you are saying. I know that the blue wire is now switched live but for simplicity I have kept it blue in the drawing. But remember that in my case the the supply spur runs to the 1st light, then on to the switch and then to the second light, not as in your diagram
You need to take a step back, and learn about the things you want to fiddle with before just diving in. Electrical installations by trial and error/guesswork is a stupid idea.
- http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=electrical+circuits+101
- http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=multimeter+101
- http://kevinboone.net/electricity.html
- http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/domesticinstallations.html
- //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:books
- //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics (especially //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting)
Yep, I know. Im in now though, dived in and need to paddle!
NO.
Stop now, take a step back, and learn about the things you want to fiddle with. Do not compound your mistake of thinking it would be OK to work on things you didn't understand by continuing to do things on the basis of ignorant guessing.
If you do this, for example,
then you won't be able to turn the 2nd light on unless the first one is on.
You don't know what you are doing, and you need to.
Stop now, take a step back, and learn about the things you want to fiddle with. Do not compound your mistake of thinking it would be OK to work on things you didn't understand by continuing to do things on the basis of ignorant guessing.
If you do this, for example,
then you won't be able to turn the 2nd light on unless the first one is on.
You don't know what you are doing, and you need to.
NO.
If you do this, for example,
then you won't be able to turn the 2nd light on unless the first one is on.
YES
This is EXACTLY WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO, my friend.
To have the second light only switch on if the first is switched on.
Thanks for your answer, that's all I needed to know!
Explain why you only want second light on whilst first light is on?
Are you wanting to actually achieve a circuit that will switch both light on, at the same time? As this can be done using only one switch or are wanting them to switch on separately?
Are you wanting to actually achieve a circuit that will switch both light on, at the same time? As this can be done using only one switch or are wanting them to switch on separately?
Yes. Its for a large cupboard. The first light is overhead, the second light is for a deep cupboard within that cupboard, where we store shoes. Entering into the cupboard needs a light on but not necessary at second level if no access to shoes is required. If the shoe cupboard light is kept on and forgotten about there is no way to see that it is on as the cupboard door seals tight so I need a system that ensures the light is turned off and not forgotten. The cupboard is used like a room, very often so it doesn't make sense to have two lights on all the time.
Apparently what he wants is a 2-gang switch controlling 2 lights, and to be able to stand there and not be able to turn light #2 on if light #1 is off, or to leave light #2 on when he turns #1 off. And to have rocker #1 work both lights if he's left rocker #2 on.
mccanno - this is so bizarre, that part of the problem in this topic is that nobody could possibly have been expected to realise that's what you wanted. If you'd described that bizarre functionality at the start it would have helped.
mccanno - this is so bizarre, that part of the problem in this topic is that nobody could possibly have been expected to realise that's what you wanted. If you'd described that bizarre functionality at the start it would have helped.
@ ban all sheds - I thought that my diagrams were very explanatory in fact! I didn't for a minute think that you would be at all interested in my shoe cupboard and so, I didn't think that the detail or reasons for the setup were so important to you. perhaps if you'd taken the time to ask I would have told you, but you were too busy calling me stupid and ignorant. You don't even know me. Bizarre!
I thought you were supposed to help people, leaves me wondering what you stand for!
Anyway thanks especially to PrenticeBoyofDerry but also to abrocky, Greenie9657 and securespark
I thought you were supposed to help people, leaves me wondering what you stand for!
Anyway thanks especially to PrenticeBoyofDerry but also to abrocky, Greenie9657 and securespark
It is important that we know the function you require.
All the pictures and diagrams were showing was a non-standard set up, that could not possibly make sense without further input from you.
If you had given this information early, a positive outcome would have been much quicker.
Don't forget to sleeve the blues that are not neutrals though, it's important they are identified. and you still need a neutral at that last light. And you don't need the permanent live at the second light.
All the pictures and diagrams were showing was a non-standard set up, that could not possibly make sense without further input from you.
If you had given this information early, a positive outcome would have been much quicker.
Don't forget to sleeve the blues that are not neutrals though, it's important they are identified. and you still need a neutral at that last light. And you don't need the permanent live at the second light.
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