External LV downlighters

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I want to run a new LV lighting kit to the soffit of my porch from an existing switch indoors. The switch is currently a 2 gang 2 way, controling the stairs and lobby lights. I intend to replace this with a 3 gang so that the new LV downlighters can be controlled from the same position. The transformer for the LV lights has a brown and blue wire on the mains side.
How do I connect this in?
 
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thanks for the response.
What I'll do is take the 2 gang switch off and replace it with the 3 gang, putting the existing wires back in the same position (common / 2way etc) in the new switch. That will leave me with one free switch with 3 terminals marked common, 1 way and 2 way. What I need to know is if its possible to / how to connect the mains end of the transformer to this.
 
you can't!
(well you could but it will not work)

The switch only has the live wires (and switch wires)

In reality what happens is a live and neutral cable are wired in to a light, the neutral is connected to one side of the light, the live is then sent to the switch (live wire) when the switch is operated the live comes back from the switch up the secopnd wire (switch wire) and hey presto let there be light.

What you need to do is to find where the main live and neutral are for the lights that you already have (presumablt if you take the light down you will find it) connect the neutral of the transformer to this and as previously mentioned run two wires to the switch (live and switch) there is some times a "bridging wire" just leave it alone, since you will have to run two wires to the switch (single core in wall NO,NO, NO

and of course you will switch the mains off FIRST
 
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It amazes me how people are willing to attemp electrical wiring having not even grasped the basics. Electricity can KILL you in two ways. Firstly electric shock and secondly fire. If you do not have the knowledge of how a switch even works, you will cirtainly not have the knowledge of other considerations i.e ampage, location of lights and transformer. There is also building insulation and ventilation to take into consideration. They may be low voltage but run extreemly hot! - Be sensible, call a friend in the know.
 
I would have to agree with you entirly, the same goes for any other "specialist trade" but if you do not tell people they will "have a go" any way and do it all wrong.

As you mention, joe public does not really understand the dangers of electricity, after all "all the electrcian did was to put a wire from this to that and it worked"
what joe public do not realise is that the electrian KNOWS what size cable to use, where to connect what, what is / is not safe to do and has spent at least 4 years in an aprenticeship learning it.
so how they expect to "do it as good as a professional" is beyond me.

I suppose it comes down to the same old answer, MONEY

Please everyone, Electricity can be your friend / slave it will work for you, do what you want, HOWEVER electricty is not biased it does not care who you are, make one mistake and it can KILL!

Please if you are not even sure DO NOT DO IT
 
Thanks for all the responses.
The so called "qualified" electrician who wired the house in the first place (less than two months ago - it's a new house) left a number of interesting quirks such as none of the appliances in the kitchen wired to the isolator switch, the bathroom light wired to the bathroom isolator instead of the fan.......if I cant make a better job of than that I'll eat my hat.
The dangerous DIYers are the ones who open up a junction box and have a go without researching at all and just have a go.
It was my intention, should I be at all unsure of how to, to call in a "qualified" electrician to do it "correctly". At least then I'll have someone else to blame.
As it happens, it was all fairly straight forward with the help of this forum and the very useful How To pages which covered all the issues.



[Edited by sheffield on 09-12-2002 at 9:17 AM GMT]

[Edited by sheffield on 09-12-2002 at 9:18 AM GMT]
 

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