adding an additional light!

[simac]

i thougtht i was a competent man around the house! i am trying to add an additional ceiling light in my garage. There is an existing strip light, with two switches. I have added a junction box to the cable running into one of the the switchs (it has the wires: black, red, red) however when i try to wire in the additional light fitting to this junction box i have the problems. With the switch in the up position, the new light works, but not the strip light, with the switch in the down position, the strip light works but not the new light! i have tried all permutations. have i lost the plot?

 

[andy]

black red red? AFAIK it doesnt exist?

if your addin anohter light to the existing light which you want to come on at the same time, just take a T+E from the neutral and switched live in the existing light to the new light. dont take feeds from a switch wire, since there is normally a live and switched live only, no neutral

 

[simac]

there are three wires from the switch! a red and a black in one cable and a red in the othe! it is these wires that i have added a junction to as the new light is close to it. is it possible? (in simple terms!)

 

[breezer]

would it not be better if both lights come on at the same time? that is very easy to wire

 

[simac]

would it not be better if both lights come on at the same time? that is very easy to wire

this is what i am trying to achieve!

 

[andy]

would it not be better if both lights come on at the same time? that is very easy to wire

this is what i am trying to achieve!

read my first reply

 

[simac]

thanks i have read it. i want to know if it is possible to wire the new light into the switch cable and not the existing strip light. cheers

 

[dingbat]

thanks i have read it. i want to know if it is possible to wire the new light into the switch cable and not the existing strip light. cheers

NO. There are three wires at the switch because (from your description) it is on a two-way circuit. All those wires are live.

Do as andrew said and simply wire up your second light in parallel with the first - no need to go anywhere near the switch.

 

[securespark]

Adding an additional light?

Does that mean you're taking one away?

Think about it....

Two +'ve's make a -ve, don't they?

 

[simac]

Thank you.