Intermediate Light Switch

[Glyn1959]

Just thought I'd share this with the non-electricians amongst us. My parents have a long landing with the light switch at the opposite end to their bedroom. Therefore if they get up during the night they have to walk the length of the landing in the dark. So, I set to adding another lightswitch by their bedroom door. I tried running 3 core + earth from the existing landing swith. Unfortunately if I switched the light on at the new switch I also had to turn it off at the new switch ie it was independent of the existing landing switch.
My local wholesaler gave me the answer. By fitting an "intermediate switch" in place of the existing landing switch: Cable to hall switch wired to L1 and L2, cable to new switch wired to L3 and L4 and join the common wires together using a strip connector. Job done.

 

[MANDATE]

If you fitted a 'two way ' switch at each location and the light was not fully controlled, then it could only be due to incorrect wiring.
An intermediate switch or switches is only needed when you want full control by three or more switches.

 

[breezer]

I would agree with mandate, your "local supplier gave the wrong information.

As mandate said if you had changed both switches to 2 way, ran a 3 core and earth from this to the new one wired both as follows

c yellow
L1 red
L2 Blue

then put the two existing wires (in orginal switch) into L1 and L2 (doesn't matter which way round it would work.

Although you gave your information in good faith unfortunately it is wrong.

the reason it works is because you would appear to have gone the long way round of two way switching

 

[Glyn1959]

Gents ,I bow to your greater knowledge and I agree my first attempt at the wiring must have been wrong. However, I did want control by any of three sockets (including the downstairs hall), otherwise if my parents turned the light on by the new switch and then went downstairs forgetting to switch it off they would have the pain of walking back upstairs to switch it off!

Thanks for your comments

 

[breezer]

you never mentioned 3 switches, it is done as before except the intermediate switch breaks the red and blue wires (intermeadiate switch has 4 connections)