Evening all, stumbled across kinetic switches recently and thought they would be perfect to make things a bit easier before having the wiring redone…then I started looking at the wiring.
I’ll start by what I wanted to to do. 1890s build with electrics put in with the old red/black colour scheme. To enter the house there is a small lobby with no light, then a corridor with the first light and switch. The corridor has open stairs and a landing above that has another light and switch. These are connected so both lights come on together when either switch is turned on and the switches must both be off to have the lights off. So lots of going up and down stairs to flick the other switch off. Annoying but it was doable. We now have a toddler so there is a pram, toy storage etc to navigate past. Was hoping to replace downstairs switch with a new kinetic switch, then add inline receivers in the lobby, the other end of the corridor (connects to sitting room/kitchen) and the landing upstairs so the lights could be turned off from any location.
Now, having looked at the wiring I’m unsure of the best ( and easiest ) way to go. Or if it will work at that. First picture is the downstairs switch. Looks like the live wire comes in (with the yellow tape) and the other wire goes up to the landing switch.
Third picture is of the landing switch. Live feeds up from below (again the yellow tape wire), then a wire going back down to the downstairs light and one more wire going up to the light upstairs.
If the downstairs switch is taken off/disconnected there is no power upstairs. I’m aware I’m going to have to replace the downstairs back box as it is only 20mm deep and the min is 25mm. Would a kinetic switch work on the first switch with the same wiring setup? Then just use a few in line receivers where I need to control both lights?
I am fully aware that the better way is to have this re-wired by a competent electrician. That will have to wait until said toddler is in nursery/school.
Appreciate any thoughts/suggestions here, never even heard of a kinetic switch until a week or so ago. Cheers, Dan.
I’ll start by what I wanted to to do. 1890s build with electrics put in with the old red/black colour scheme. To enter the house there is a small lobby with no light, then a corridor with the first light and switch. The corridor has open stairs and a landing above that has another light and switch. These are connected so both lights come on together when either switch is turned on and the switches must both be off to have the lights off. So lots of going up and down stairs to flick the other switch off. Annoying but it was doable. We now have a toddler so there is a pram, toy storage etc to navigate past. Was hoping to replace downstairs switch with a new kinetic switch, then add inline receivers in the lobby, the other end of the corridor (connects to sitting room/kitchen) and the landing upstairs so the lights could be turned off from any location.
Now, having looked at the wiring I’m unsure of the best ( and easiest ) way to go. Or if it will work at that. First picture is the downstairs switch. Looks like the live wire comes in (with the yellow tape) and the other wire goes up to the landing switch.
Third picture is of the landing switch. Live feeds up from below (again the yellow tape wire), then a wire going back down to the downstairs light and one more wire going up to the light upstairs.
If the downstairs switch is taken off/disconnected there is no power upstairs. I’m aware I’m going to have to replace the downstairs back box as it is only 20mm deep and the min is 25mm. Would a kinetic switch work on the first switch with the same wiring setup? Then just use a few in line receivers where I need to control both lights?
I am fully aware that the better way is to have this re-wired by a competent electrician. That will have to wait until said toddler is in nursery/school.
Appreciate any thoughts/suggestions here, never even heard of a kinetic switch until a week or so ago. Cheers, Dan.
