Add a switch to control whole lighting circuit

Joined
26 Sep 2018
Messages
111
Reaction score
5
Country
United Kingdom
My hallway light switch is the first beak point of my lighting radial circuit which uses loop-in-switch method.

Can I add another switch before the hallway switch (which is by my front door) so that the new switch can turn off ALL the lights in one go?
 
Sponsored Links
If your sure that's the first point, the switch likely has a live in from the Db and a live out to the next room, creating 2 wires in one of the terminals.

You could if desired wire a switch in series between them 2 wires,

The live out wire to the next room still needs to remain in that terminal on the old switch though,
The live in would reroute to the new switch input.
A new wire link would go from the new switch output, to your existing switch, terminal and go in with the existing live out to the next room.
 
Yes.

You will have to decide if you want the new switch to be double pole or single pole - double pole means it cuts out live AND neutral, single pole means it cuts out just the live.

You will also need to decide if you want a conventional switch, or a key switch - to prevent most people from meddling.
 
...although it might be slightly risky, if there are many of you, in a big house.

Imagine having a late night relaxing bath, the other half pops out to collect a takeaway, absent mindedly turning all the lights off, on their way out!!!! :D
 
Sponsored Links
My hallway light switch is the first beak point of my lighting radial circuit which uses loop-in-switch method.

Can I add another switch before the hallway switch (which is by my front door) so that the new switch can turn off ALL the lights in one go?
You can ,but why do you want one ?
 
My hallway light switch is the first beak point of my lighting radial circuit.
By "beak point" do you mean "break point" and what does that mean
my lighting radial circuit which uses loop-in-switch method.
Please explain.
Can I add another switch before the hallway switch (which is by my front door) so that the new switch can turn off ALL the lights in one go?
It seems that you wish to turn off all lights in the premises concerned with just "One Switch" near the "Front Door"
One wonders why !
However, you can - by installing an easily accessible switch which will open-circuit the "Line" from the "Circuit Breaker" to all of the remainder of the "lighting radial circuit" - assuming that you can find a suitable "point" at which to do so !
 
I have three switches which will turn off groups of lights, most people do RCBO.jpgunder a tin lid and where unlikely to be operated in error.

I do see a problem today with lights defaulting on, most smart bulbs default on after a power cut, but to be frank, 10 watt bulbs which are left on are hardly going the break the bank.
 
Thanks for the replies and many options for the switch. We have elderlies staying with us now and we keep having to take shoes off to switch off the forgotten lights so I'm exploiting the idea of having a "main" light switch by the front door. However, as some of you pointed out that it might also be a problem if the switches are frequently switched off by mistake. I wonder if there's any 2 gang switch that is on a double plate so the 2 switches can be apart?
 
We have elderlies staying with us now and we keep having to take shoes off to switch off the forgotten lights
No, you don't.

so I'm exploiting the idea of having a "main" light switch by the front door. However, as some of you pointed out that it might also be a problem if the switches are frequently switched off by mistake.
Of course it will be a problem. It is a daft idea - especially with "elderlies" in the premises.

You do realise that when switched off, the lights won't work and at night it will be dark?

I wonder if there's any 2 gang switch that is on a double plate so the 2 switches can be apart?
What difference would that make?
 
Never mind how the 'elderlies' would cope if they needed the toilet at night, how do you think you would feel if there was a fire and they needed to be evacuated quickly?
You probably wouldn't have the time, (or if you did, it would be wasted time), to get to the main isolator to turn the lights back on.Another question. What happens if you have a hard day at work, (lets say you had an early start and then worked an extra hour or two at normal finishing time), so you decide you want to go to bed at 8.00pm?
Are they, and the rest of your family, to be denied the safety of lights?
In my opinion this is a totally bad idea. These sorts of schemes only work in industrial or commercial properties where the last person out is responsible for turning off all the lights, after checking the premises are completely empty.
You may even find yourself under investigation if someone gets hurt as a result of your actions.
 
Zigbee allows me to program off and on independently, so landing light outer set to switch off at 1 am, and inner at 2 am, so even if we as
'elderlies'
forget, the lights still switch off, it also means when I have made two cups of coffee so hands full, when I realise at bottom of stairs the landing lights are off, saying hey google turn on landing lights turns them on without me needing to put down the coffee's to manually do it.

OK 5 x 6 watt for all landing lights, 4 x 6 watt for outer, and 1 x 2 - 6 watt for inner depending on how the smart bulb has been set, normally set to "Gorgeous" so around 2 watt, it looks pretty, changing between all the colours, Centre_bulb_colours.jpg maybe not practical, but what the heck, it's 2 watt. And enough to see my way to the loo.

A PIR 1672241277710.pngcan turn lights on/off, I however use some thing like this 1672241439472.pngit also means with a power cut, can still see way down the stairs. And it auto switches on as we pass it.

Even at 70 plus I can say "hey google turn on landing lights" and "hey google turn off landing lights" the problem is when the grand children visit and they say "hey google set alarm for 2 am" before they leave.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top