Controlling two existing lights from one switch

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11 Jan 2011
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Hertfordshire
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I understand how to wire two lights to be controlled by one switch, but how would I do this when the lights are already there and part of the lighting circuit?

I have two lights connected one after the other in the circuit. Could I just remove the switch cable from light 2, leave the neutrals connected to light 2, bridge the live and then run a single core from light 1 to provide the switched live?

Cheers,

Dan
 
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If you can run a single cable from light 1 to light 2 then save yourself the brain strain and run a piece of T & E from light 1 to light 2, disconnect and make safe all the gubbins currently in light 2 and just wire it in parallel with light 1.
 
Are the two lights curently switched separately? If so are the two switches together? If so, what you want to do can be done at the switch itself.
Post a photo of the wiring at the switch and can advise.

If the above is not what you have, can you explain more what you mean by
I have two lights connected one after the other in the circuit.

What you want to do may well be possible without running extra wires.

For mains wiring we never run a "single core". It would need to be wire + earth, but lets see the actual situation first...........
 
Space is tight through the holes in some of the joists.

Maybe three core and remove the t+e?
 
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Are the two lights curently switched separately? If so are the two switches together? If so, what you want to do can be done at the switch itself.
Post a photo of the wiring at the switch and can advise.

If the above is not what you have, can you explain more what you mean by


What you want to do may well be possible without running extra wires.

For mains wiring we never run a "single core". It would need to be wire + earth, but lets see the actual situation first...........

The switches are a few metres apart and joining them jn any way is not an option. When I say one after the other in the circuit, I mean there are no intermediate lights between the two I want to control with the switch.

I omitted some details for simplicity. The switch to light 1 is actually a 2G and I have a spare switched connection from that to light 1 where the connection to the other switched light has been removed (as has the light itself).

I actually want to have light 2 controlled by the spare switch on the 2G switch, but didn't elaborate on that as the answer to the original question would give me the answer I need.

So to summarise, I have three wires (+earth) coming from the switch to light 1.
 

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