Replace a double light switch with triple

[welldone]

Hi,

I bought a wall lamp yesterday and I have been trying to wire up but failed to do so. Is there anyone who can help?

Well, I have a double light switch in the kitchen, I bought a three buttoned switch. What I want is that to keep the previous buttons there and add a third button for new wall lamp. Behind the three buttoned switch (previously double) I have total 4 cables coming out. 2 red colors and 2 white colors(previously for two lamps). What I found is that red color brings electric and gives to two white cables to light up two lamps in the kitchen. With the new three buttoned switch, previous lamps works.

The problem is I take the electric from red cable too for my wall lamp, but I dont know there to connect the neutral cable of my new wall lamp.

I have a plug just beside the switch. Would it be safe if I connect the neutral one there?

really need help about this, I searched in this forum and read around 50posts but coudnt get an answer..

Thanks.

 

[bernardgreen]

I have a plug just beside the switch. Would it be safe if I connect the neutral one there?

No you cannot take the neutral for the lamp from the socket.

I searched in this forum

The answer is in the section

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37582

You must take the neutral for the lamp from the neutral that feeds the other lamps at that switch

Red and white wires to the switch sounds a bit odd, cables are normally red and black in a normal installation.

 

[JohnW2]

Red and white wires to the switch sounds a bit odd, cables are normally red and black in a normal installation.

I have seen this. I am open to being corrected, but I believe that US cables use white (sometimes grey {or gray }) for neutral and usually either red or black for L. Why US cable, if that's what it is, should be found in a UK installation is another matter!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Some older wiring was coloured red,white and blue.

Welldone: can you take a photo of the wiring at the back of the switch - that may tell us heaps!

 

[bernardgreen]

but I believe that US cables use white (sometimes grey {or gray }) for neutral and usually either red or black for L.

You are correct. I wish I had a penny for every time people have insisted the black in a US lead HAS to be the neutral. I have seen several moulded leads with UK plugs but had America cable ( black and white ) and most did have black to live but not all.

Why US cable, if that's what it is, should be found in a UK installation is another matter.

Good question, unless it is wired in singles.

 

[JohnW2]

Why US cable, if that's what it is, should be found in a UK installation is another matter.

Good question, unless it is wired in singles.

I'm not sure that the explanation would be any clearer even in singles. Indeed, I'm not at all sure that one can (or ever could) get white singles over here.

Mind you, TTC has just reminded me that I have actually seen red/white/blue in some old 3-core UK cable (usually that very shiny,almost waxy, PVC), although I'm not sure what the colours were intended to represent (I presume red was L or L1).

Kind Regards, John.