LED On/Off Switch Issues…

[Umy786]

Evening all

I recently put back together for some friends, the wall-beds had 2 spot lights controlled by 2 switches either side of the bed.

Since hooking everything back together the lights don’t seem to be working together (or as they were as my friend has said).

One side (let’s say LHS) will switch the lights on but the RHSP won’t switch them off. You have got turn the LHS back off, switch the RHS on (this doesn’t turn the light back on btw) press the LHS switch again and then I think it turns the RHS on

I don’t know if it’s the way I’ve wired them back or what but it’s driving me nuts trying to understand why this has happened. Nothing has changed except I’ve used new black & red wiring as one got cut during the move.

Is there Something I’ve done wrong or do I need an LED controller or something?

would really appreciate any insight into this

Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

You have obviously wired them incorrectly - hooked everything back together wrong..

Post a picture of the wiring at each switch. Just copy and paste pictures.

 

[Umy786]

I won’t be back there for a few weeks now as I’m going away but to understand what I’ve done below is the diagram of the way I’ve wired it up

 

[FrodoOne]

You may not understand how 2-way switching works
I suggest that you look up the appropriate circuit diagrams.
See Multiway Switching on Wikipedia.
(Unfortunately, 2-way switching is mis-called 3-way switching in North America.)

 

[robinbanks]

This is what you need to arrange, though depending on how the cables route might mean you're not making these exact junctions

Or this, conceptual equivalent:

In this configuration the lights are off. If either switch is flipped they are on and if then either is flipped they are off again

If, however the intention was that each switch only operates the light on that side of the bed it's the much more simplistic:

These lights are on, either switch turns off its relevant light as there is no connection to one of the switch connectors

 

[ericmark]

Not at home so can't post pictures, but normal two way works other way around. Line in to L1's and Line out to L2's and connection between the two com's this means no junction block needed in switch, the L1 and L2 can be swapped, as long as Com is correct it works.

 

[Umy786]

I do understand 2 way wiring, Com/L1/L2 etc but the issue is the LED wiring used in this setup is 2 core 22AWG red & black cable and there are only 2 terminals on the back of the rocker switch to connect to - maybe should’ve stated this at the start but therein lines my issue - there is no Com/L1 etc on these switches

 

[winston1]

I do understand 2 way wiring, Com/L1/L2 etc but the issue is the LED wiring used in this setup is 2 core 22AWG red & black

Are you sure. AWG is American wire gauge. Not used here. We use SWG, standard wire gauge which is different.

cable and there are only 2 terminals on the back of the rocker switch to connect to - maybe should’ve stated this at the start but therein lines my issue - there is no Com/L1 etc on these switches

In which case you do not have 2 way switches and you need to change them.

 

[Umy786]

It may be termed differently here but it is black & red 22 gauge wire- attached below is the image what I have used

These switches are the ones that came with the wallbed & can’t be changed, similar ones shown below.

Based on the rocker switches only having 2 terminals, is there anything we can do to have them operate individually, as I say both lights need to be operated via the switches, not just one light

 

[robinbanks]

You aren't being clear as to whether the requirement is that one switch operates one light and the other switch operates the other light, or whether flipping either switch alters the state of both lights simultaneously

If they were bedside lights I would expect each light to have its own switch, this way you can turn your light on and read and the person in bed with you can turn their light off and go to sleep

A bed is not a great distance to roll or reach so that a single switch can operate both lights; if you're wiring up so both lights operate in unison just put one switch in the wall above the middle of the bed head then either sleeper on either side can reach it

 

[SUNRAY]

Are you sure. AWG is American wire gauge. Not used here. We use SWG, standard wire gauge which is different.

AWG is very commonly used in the UK where a majority of people on here live. AWG will be used more frequently than SWG as SWG relates to a solid core or single strand whereas AWG also relates to a multi strand wire.

How much CAT5 cable have you handled winny?
It's always shown as AWG

 

[robinbanks]

If you have single pole single throw switches (two terminals) only and you want a two way switching style you need something more intelligent. The Fibaro dimmer modules I have make N way switching a doddle, but the switches do really need to be momentary:

Closing any switch between S1 and Sx activates the dimmer, which then supplies power to the O terminal from the L terminal. The switches can all be SPST (two-terminal) but ideally need to make a connection only while the human is pushing them (momentary).
To cope with non momentary switches you can change the software configuration so that a change of switch state toggles the dimmer from on to off or vice versa and I believe (because there are two switch inputs on the dimmer) either input can listen for a state toggle but that limits you to two switches (two inputs)

There are other products, such as relays, that function the same and doubtless other smart home kit from other manufacturers that can be made to work in a similar way. It's probably an expensive but easy solution to a problem that could be more simplistically solved with 2 way switching, but intelligent lighting is a particularly useful application of home automation..

 

[winston1]

AWG is very commonly used in the UK where a majority of people on here live. AWG will be used more frequently than SWG as SWG relates to a solid core or single strand whereas AWG also relates to a multi strand wire.
View attachment 285002
How much CAT5 cable have you handled winny?
It's always shown as AWG
View attachment 285003

So you have found one company selling foreign cable. I can tell you where you can find BA threads in the US. Doesn’t make it very common.

 

[ericmark]

The relay I use for my lights changes state when switches change state, other relays use momentary switches, my electronic switches use a single sensing wire.

With change over switches there are two basic methods, also often they borrow a line, but without some electronics or relay, it needs at least 3 connections to the switch.

 

[SUNRAY]

So you have found one company selling foreign cable. I can tell you where you can find BA threads in the US. Doesn’t make it very common.

No I haven't found 'one company selling foreign cable'.
What I've shown is the only way I've known CAT 5/6 etc cable described.
What I've shown is typical of many cable products universally sold by a multitude of suppliers across UK, Europe and much of the world.