First post, 2 way switch wiring when only 1 way needed

[kennyindundee]

Hi folks,

In my garage I'm creating a small room using stud walls etc. I'm taking a feed from the existing light circuit in the garage and want to add a 1 way switch for my ceiling light inside the new room.

Problem is, I bought a 2 way switch by accident and don't know where to connect the live, neutral and earth wires to the switch. The switch has L1, L2 and L3 terminals and 2 earth connections on the back of the back of the switch plate.

Also, where do I connect the live, neutral and earth from the light itself to the switch?

Cheers everyone!

 

[Mursal]

Welcome to the forum.

Some good wiring diagrams on this forum, if you want to have a look

Neutral and earth straight to the light.
Earth to the earth point on the light (if one) and neutral to one terminal of the light.
Live to LI and L2 to the other terminal on the light

Take an earth back to the earth points on the switch.

Treat all wires as thought they are live until you know otherwise

Live = 240Volts so be careful

http://www.flameport.com/electric/lighting_circuits/lighting_switchtypes.cs4

 

[boloskyice]

hi you don't connect a neutral at the switch only live and then switch live but you do connect earth into the switch if not plastic and backbox also. The switch you got im guessing is 1 gang 2 way switch which is fine for your need it can do both 1 way and 2 way switching

 

[kennyindundee]

Many thanks for the replies folks. Yes its a 1 gang 2 way switch. So, earth to the earth terminals on the switch, then from the earth terminals to the light? I'm using a drywall back box. Do how do I earth the drywall back box?

Cheers
Kenny

 

[boloskyice]

you don't need to earth the backbox if its plastic just the switch if metal like i mentioned earlier.you dont run a whole length of cable from the switch earth to the light you use the junction box to connect the earth from supply and switch to the light im guessing you were making your connections using a junction box?

 

[kennyindundee]

Hi bolosk,

Yes I'm going to use a junction box to take the feed from the existing light circuit. Many thanks for all your advice!

Should I use 2.5mm twin earth cable to do this?

Cheers mate
Kenny

 

[boloskyice]

no 1.5mm or even 1.0mm is fine as long as the cable has proper protection. are you sure the cable your connected into is the garage lights feed only. how many lights does it operate, also when you isolate the power what fuse or mcb do you turn off what is written on it? is there anyone else in your family with some more experience i don't want you to make a mistake and be left without lights or worse

 

[kennyindundee]

The garage is attached to the house, it has its own fuse in the fusebox. There is also a fuse box consumer unit in the garage. 2 lights operated by the light circuit that I am tapping into.

There is a separate cable for the socket in the garage.

 

[boloskyice]

so you have a consumer unit for your house, then another consumer unit in your garage attached to your house for garage use which is at the moment only connecting 1 socket and 2 lights is that right? what mcb's are in the garage consumer unit

 

[kennyindundee]

I'm not at home at the moment but on the outside of the garage consumer unit it says not to exceed 45amps

 

[Mursal]

Might I ask is there a test button in either of the CU's?

 

[kennyindundee]

There is one in the house CU but not one visible on the outside of the garage CU. There is an on\off switch on the garage CU though.

 

[Mursal]

That's fine. just wondering if you had good shock protection. Sounded a bit old when you mentioned fuses

 

[kennyindundee]

Thanks gents once again. This is a really helpful community in these forums! So much expertise and experience.

Sounds like I'm good to go with this now but I was wondering if anyone would recommend a particular junction box and cable? Even if anyone had links for these or specs of what I should be looking for that would be amazing and much appreciated.

Many, many thanks for your patience folks, especially when it probably seems very trivial to your expertise.

Kenny

 

[kennyindundee]

Forgot to say I'm on ebay if it helps with links etc