Help with wall lights and 1-way switches

[CraigW]

Im trying to install a wall light that runs off one of the mains socket, which is easy enough and have done before, but this time i want to include a 1-way switch between the power and the light.

the switch is labelled L1, L2 and C(ommon).

I have tried wiring it as follows...

Red from light to L1,
Red from Power to C
Connected the 2 black wires together
Connected both earth wires to the earthing point on the switch's blanking plate..

but something is wrong 'cos when i turn the power back on, i cannot get the lamp to work..

What am i doing wrong here?

Cheers

 

[breezer]

are you using twin & earth? (not that it matters too much) what you have done is correct, however there are a few things you could check

Does the lamp work in a different fitting, also the same goes for the fuse in the plug,

are you sure that the copper conductor is making a connection in all places?

If you are "pluging it in" you should really use flex as twin and earth breaks if moved too much.

 

[CraigW]

It's being wired directly off the mains socket, no plug involved..
The bulb works fine, the whole light assembly worked fine when running off a plug, altough the switch wasnt attached at that point...

The problems only started when wiring the switch up and when we connected it off the mains socket..

Good to know my wiring is right though

 

[breezer]

You can not connect it directly to a socket. it is dangerous to do so.
You have to fit a fused spur to the socket with 2.5mm twin and earth then conncet the light to the spur

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=11685&ts=68397


this is a metal clad spur, but it shows you what they look like.

the other thing yoo could do is to dissconect it from the socket, put a plug on it, this then checks is the switch / lamp configureation o.k. (also that way you do not need a spur)

Then after fitting your spur you can connect your light to it

 

[CraigW]

Cheer's for the info, will give that a try...

Thanks

 

[amtodd]

If you get a switched fused spur you get both fuse and switch all in one handy package. Less chasing boxes and less connections to get wrong too.