2 way switching 2 lights lounge / dining room

[vards01]

It is not usual to have two-way switching for the hall light (with one upstairs).

It has always been in every house I have lived in.......after your comment I just thought it must have been an Essex thing

 

[EFLImpudence]

Or vice versa, perhaps only in Devon and Dorset (where I lived) it is not done - except in grander houses, but they are not 'usual'.

 

[SUNRAY]

Well, to be entirely accurate, I would say because it is not necessary so most houses are not wired like that.

Well, to be entirely accurate, I would say it is not necessary to have the upstairs wired like that either, all you have to do is not forget to switch it off before coming down.

Ok. Perhaps bigger three storey town houses are different.

I have only lived in one so I have no additional info on that

They probably have a switch at both ends of the hall as well.

Indeed yes, in fact ground and 2nd floors had 4 way

Do you mean so that you can switch on the hall light from upstairs before going down,

yes

or can switch off the hall light from upstairs

yes

because you left it on by mistake when going up?

Why does using a perfectly normal facility become a mistake? I have 9 sets of 2, 3 or 4 way switching in my present house, I must be very forgetful

I have lived in 7 houses in total, 3 had this facility from new and the rest had it added.

My son and daughter have purchased 2 new builds each in the last few years and 3 of those were equipped that way from new.

Edit:
I would not describe any of the above properties as grand but of course adding another switch does look good on the spec for a new house

 

[EFLImpudence]

I fear you have misunderstood what I wrote.

Please try again.

 

[SUNRAY]

I fear you have misunderstood what I wrote.

Please try again.

Sorry I can't read it a different way, I have tried to reply to the words I see. Which part have I got wrong?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Well, to be entirely accurate, I would say it is not necessary to have the upstairs wired like that either, all you have to do is not forget to switch it off before coming down.

It does not work like that. Switching off upstairs before coming down would not illuminate the stairs, - but when going up to bed, it is not necessary to leave the hallway light on until you get upstairs.

Indeed yes, in fact ground and 2nd floors had 4 way

Well, that definitely is not how most (the majority of) houses are wired.

yes

What has that to do with advancing years?

yes

Fair enough.

Why does using a perfectly normal facility become a mistake?

I didn't say it did.

I have 9 sets of 2, 3 or 4 way switching in my present house, I must be very forgetful

Having so many, you obviously don't know how forgetful you might be as it doesn't arise.

I have lived in 7 houses in total, 3 had this facility from new and the rest had it added.

So most did not originally have it.

My son and daughter have purchased 2 new builds each in the last few years and 3 of those were equipped that way from new.

Ok. Did they think the one without was odd?

I have lived in five houses and none had the arrangement.
I have worked in many houses and have not found it the usual (i.e. most common) arrangement.

I don't think there can be any dispute about that and find it strange that you should get so irate about such an unimportant subject.

I would not describe any of the above properties as grand but of course adding another switch does look good on the spec for a new house

Does it?

 

[SUNRAY]

I'll start by saying I've just got home after a very long day, I started work for the first of 3 jobs at 06:00 and have done several lots of socialising in the mean time. Drink has played a part in today's shenanigans too, so I apologise in advance for any e&o's

It does not work like that. Switching off upstairs before coming down would not illuminate the stairs, - but when going up to bed, it is not necessary to leave the hallway light on until you get upstairs.

Sorry I don't quite understand this. Surely walking down stairs with a light behind you puts the area in front of you in shadow. No? Has my basic common sense let me down here? Safety issue?

Well, that definitely is not how most (the majority of) houses are wired.

In my little snapshot 6/11 (becoming 10/11) is a majority, No? In my experience it is becoming far more common in new builds.

What has that to do with advancing years?

Not wanting to travel further than necessary, in the dark, to switch a light on or off

I didn't say it did.

You did, go check

Having so many, you obviously don't know how forgetful you might be as it doesn't arise.

It has nothing to do with forgetfulness, having 2 way switching is a mater of convenience for me, just like everyone else. For example when I arrive home in the dark and park the vehicle, the 60ft or so walk to the house is much easier when I switch the light on and then off only when I get indoors, the opposite situation occurs when I leave the house in the dark. This way I can avoid the fox tish and any other unexpected obstructions.
I have 3 way switching for one of the kitchen lights as there are 3 doors and it does not make any sense to me to walk the full 20ft in the dark from a door to switch a light on then switch it off again only to retrace 10ft to my desired exit.

So most did not originally have it.

6 of 11 is more than 50%, No?

Ok. Did they think the one without was odd?

Yes they did, as the upstairs light hardly illuminated any of the stair treads whereas the hall light illuminated most of them. Before any comments about poor design etc this was by a well known, and supposedly respected, national house builder.

I have lived in five houses and none had the arrangement.

OK, but I bet you would change your habits if this facility existed in your house.

I have worked in many houses and have not found it the usual (i.e. most common) arrangement.

I respect your observations.

I don't think there can be any dispute about that

I don't dispute it.

and find it strange that you should get so irate about such an unimportant subject.

I Didn't get irate about it, and I haven't got irate about any subsequent comments either. Neither have I criticised others opinions or views in this regard...

Does it?

I reckon it must do, otherwise they wouldn't waste their time and ink writing it.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Well, this is silly.

My original statement was:
"It is not usual to have two-way switching for the hall light (with one upstairs)."
which, in my experience, is true and you cannot dispute nor disprove it.
Whether this is, as mentioned, a geographical difference I do not know.

I still maintain it is more likely that your houses have been what I called grander (I merely meant larger) than the majority of houses.


I do not see the relevance of your kitchen lighting nor fox shıt; nor for that matter whether you have been working hard or drinking, although it could explain some of the post.


Either way, it is not important and even if your experience is different than mine, so what?

 

[SUNRAY]

Well, this is silly.

Yes it is.

My original statement was:
"It is not usual to have two-way switching for the hall light (with one upstairs)."
which, in my experience, is true and you cannot dispute nor disprove it.

And I have not disputed it. I simply replied:

Why not? It certainly is in every house I have lived in and not all installed by me. The town house had all 3 floors switched on all 3 floors (original build)

All I have done is make some factual statements which you seem to have taken a disliking to.

Whether this is, as mentioned, a geographical difference I do not know.

Neither do I

I still maintain it is more likely that your houses have been what I called grander (I merely meant larger) than the majority of houses.

My list of 11 includes: A 1 bed starter, a 3 bed town house (a total of 11ft wide internally), a 4 bed terraced (Probably the 2nd largest property in my list). 2 each of 2bed terraced & 3bed semi's so hardly anything particularly big or exceptional.

I do not see the relevance of your kitchen lighting nor fox shıt; nor for that matter whether you have been working hard or drinking, although it could explain some of the post.

The relevance is to indicate why 2 way switching is useful, as I described in the post, and not something to overcome making a mistake as you described it.

Either way, it is not important and even if your experience is different than mine, so what?

Exactly, so why did you get so upset and keep banging on about it?

I notice how you have been selective over which parts of my drunken reply to comment on. I thought the safety aspects I raised may have been a better thing to comment on as they are based on a lot of experience, domestically, commercially and public entertainment.

Surely walking down stairs with a light behind you puts the area in front of you in shadow. No? Has my basic common sense let me down here? Safety issue?

Yes they did, as the upstairs light hardly illuminated any of the stair treads whereas the hall light illuminated most of them. Before any comments about poor design etc this was by a well known, and supposedly respected, national house builder.

Actually reading this back again I'm quite happy with the quality of my previous post bearing in mind how tired and happily tipsy I was.

 

[sparkwright]

I have to say, in Dorset, very few houses have the hall light controlled from upstairs.

And it is older, grander houses that tend to have this function.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes it is.

And I have not disputed it. I simply replied:All I have done is make some factual statements which you seem to have taken a disliking to.

Neither do I

My list of 11 includes: A 1 bed starter, a 3 bed town house (a total of 11ft wide internally), a 4 bed terraced (Probably the 2nd largest property in my list). 2 each of 2bed terraced & 3bed semi's so hardly anything particularly big or exceptional.

The relevance is to indicate why 2 way switching is useful, as I described in the post, and not something to overcome making a mistake as you described it.

Exactly, so why did you get so upset and keep banging on about it?

I notice how you have been selective over which parts of my drunken reply to comment on. I thought the safety aspects I raised may have been a better thing to comment on as they are based on a lot of experience, domestically, commercially and public entertainment.

Actually reading this back again I'm quite happy with the quality of my previous post bearing in mind how tired and happily tipsy I was.

Yes, sorry for banging on.

 

[SUNRAY]

Yes, sorry for banging on.

Yep most of my words are a reply to yours.