help me understand wiring pls

[superparm78]

hi people
can someone please help me or explain what this wiring is called.
we have a with loft room (hallway)
double light switch on ground floor turn on lights on ground floor and landing lights.
the double switch on landing controls lights on landing and light on 3rd floor.
on the 3rd floor there is a single switch
thank you

 

[EFLImpudence]

Normal ?


Plus - I think you have miscounted the floors.
A three-storey house doesn't have a third floor

 

[superparm78]

lol

ok its a loft room hall way

 

[EFLImpudence]

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

You have single and two-way circuits.

 

[JohnW2]

lol ok its a loft room hall way

aka 2nd floor landing

Kind Regards, John

 

[superparm78]

all in one. gosh lol

 

[JohnW2]

You have single and two-way circuits.

Indeed - but I suspect the OP was wondering why the arrangment is not 'symmetrical' - i.e. with a double switch on 2nd floor, controlling 1st and second floor lights. And the answer, I guess, is "that's how they decided to do it".!

Kind Regards, John

 

[superparm78]

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

You have single and two-way circuits.

is there a away of changing what lights are controlled from middle floor.
i would like the middle floor light switch to only control middle floor and if possible the downstairs lights.
at the moment the middle floor controls loft and middle floor

 

[JohnW2]

is there a away of changing what lights are controlled from middle floor. i would like the middle floor light switch to only control middle floor and if possible the downstairs lights.
at the moment the middle floor controls loft and middle floor

Sure, but it would need a bit of new wiring. You could even have a 3-gang switch on the middle floor, if you wished, controlling lights on all three floors.

Kind Regards, John

 

[superparm78]

is there a away of changing what lights are controlled from middle floor. i would like the middle floor light switch to only control middle floor and if possible the downstairs lights.
at the moment the middle floor controls loft and middle floor

Sure, but it would need a bit of new wiring. You could even have a 3-gang switch on the middle floor, if you wished, controlling lights on all three floors.

Kind Regards, John

thanks john
ideally without wiring, just had property painted.
i am trying to install lightwave rd with my system but the hallway wiring has made me mad.
the only thing i can think is maybe work out how to discount the third floor light from the switch and only control from upstairs

 

[EFLImpudence]

is there a away of changing what lights are controlled from middle floor.
i would like the middle floor light switch to only control middle floor and if possible the downstairs lights.
at the moment the middle floor controls loft and middle floor

Probably not without some additional wiring.

Usually -
there is a power cable to the light and on to next light,
a switch cable from light to switch position (single-way)
for two-way there will be another cable between the switches.

It may be (but not so likely) that
there is a power cable to the switch and on to next switch,
a switched cable to the light (single-way)
for two-way again another cable between the switches.

There is also an older way to do it which is even less likely to be able to be adapted.

So, it may be possible to do what you want depending on the wiring arrangements.

 

[JohnW2]

thanks john ... ideally without wiring, just had property painted. ... i am trying to install lightwave rd with my system but the hallway wiring has made me mad.

I can't see how you could possibly do as you wish without at least some new wiring. As I understand it, you want a middle floor switch to control the ground floor (and the other the middle floor) lighting but, at present, there is no reason why any cable relating to the ground floor lighting should go anywhere near the middle floor switches.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

I think you are asking about 2 way switching

There are basic three types of light switch.
1 - On/off
2 - Two way (can also be used as on/off)
3 - intermediate (can also be used as on/off and two way)

We can buy switches in standard square switch design with either one, two or three switches (1 gang, 2 gang and 3 gang) however don't think you can get intermediate as three gang.

You can also use a grid switch design which allows mix and match so one plate could have dimmer and standard switch for example. With the grid switch design the plates can also be got as double socket length or longer. However be aware grid switches are often deeper than standard switches.

I don't know what "lightwave rd" is I thought lightwave was similar to Photoshop clearly nothing to do with lighting. So a link to what you have may help.

 

[davelx]

I don't know what "lightwave rd" is I thought lightwave was similar to Photoshop clearly nothing to do with lighting. So a link to what you have may help.

It's an RF remote control/home automation system http://www.lightwaverf.com/

 

[JohnW2]

I think you are asking about 2 way switching

Although two way switching is involved, I think the OP is (at least in his most recent question) primarily asking about the way in which the switching has been arranged in his house.

As I understand it, he has a 2-gang switch on the middle floor, one gang of which (2-way with ground floor switch) controls middle floor lighting and the other gang (2-way with top floor switch) controls top floor lighting. However, he would like a switch on the middle floor to control ground floor lighting. As I've explained to him, since there is currently no reason for any cable associated with the ground floor lighting/switching to go to the middle-floor switch, I don't see how he could achieve what he wants without some additional wiring.

Kind Regards, John