Adding a wall light from a switch?

[jimmyjames]

Hi
I'm trying to add a wall light at the bottom of my stairs, which I connected to a switch that powers the light at the top of the stairs.

I connected it up and tried out various permutations through what i believe to be a two way switch but all I get when I switch it on is a dull glow. What am I doing wrong?

Should I be adding a fused spur? Don't see how this woudl help?

Thanks

 

[bernardgreen]

Hi
I'm trying to add a wall light at the bottom of my stairs, which I connected to a switch that powers the light at the top of the stairs.?

You need to take a two core and earth cable from the existing lamp to the new lamp. The lamp needs a switched live and a neutral

Very few switches have a neutral in them. There is live and a switched live but without a neutral you cannot run a light. The ceiling rose has a neutral.

The dim light was when you connected the new lamp across the switch. It was then in series with the other lamp so both would come on but at low light levels as the 230 volts was shared between them.

 

[jimmyjames]

I did connect the new light to the existing switch via two core cable with earth. But just to make sure I understand you, are you suggesting i connect this to it's own switch?

 

[Spark123]

No, at the switch there is normally only live and switched live wires, no neutral. To connect a lamp you need a neutral. This means picking up a supply from the lighting circuit, possbily at the rose. There are some diagrams in the wiki http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:single-way-lighting showing basic light circuits.

 

[jimmyjames]

I see. Trouble is I don't have a lighting circuit anywhere near where I want to situate this new walllight.

I sense I'm getting to the reason why nobody put a light there in the first place!

I geuss what I really need is a pot of filler and some paint to mend the mess I just made!

Great. Thanks anyway

 

[EddieCurrent]

Before you buy the filler.
Are there any socket outlets near where you want this 'light' to be ?




Or,
Maybe one of these,

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u315/exwomble/melampo.jpg

On one of these ?

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u315/exwomble/Ribbon-ConsoleDressing-Tabl.jpg

(all yours for just under £900 )

 

[jimmyjames]

he he he

I may be stupid but I'm not that stupid. There is no power source anywhere near where I needed teh wall light.