connecting outdoor security light

[robinson14]

Hi all I want to add an outside security light into my garage which is adjacent to my living room, and have a blanking plate which I think at some time must off been a switch with live wires behind it in my living room and was wondering in I can wire into this for my light. The wires are one red in a choc block one red and yellow in another and a black and blue in another. I know the easy way is to add into the existing lighting circuit but I have just had new carpets laid and don't want to take them up.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi all I want to add an outside security light into my garage which is adjacent to my living room, and have a blanking plate which I think at some time must off been a switch with live wires behind it in my living room

Did you check that using a 2-pole tester between L & N?

and was wondering in I can wire into this for my light.

Probably not.

The wires are one red in a choc block one red and yellow in another and a black and blue in another.

Which is exactly what you'd find if a 2-way switch had been removed and replaced by connections behind a blanking plate, in which case there's no neutral there, and you cannot take power for an outside light from there.

http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:two_way_lighting:lrnonharm

Have a look at the other switch in the room, see what's there.

I know the easy way is to add into the existing lighting circuit but I have just had new carpets laid and don't want to take them up.

Nothing like planning ahead, is there?

If, as I strongly suspect, there is no neutral behind that blanking plate then it's either lift carpets to get at the lighting circuit, or no light.

 

[robinson14]

Thanks for your reply I suppose I better start lifting the carpets!!