Replacing bathroom light switch with pull cord switch

[Webby54]

Hi, I've looked over the forums for this but I can't find it.

I have a light switch outside the bathroom and I'd like instead to use a pull cord switch inside the bathroom. How would I go about doing this?

Once done, I would then like to rewire the switch to turn on the hallway lights downstairs. I currently have 2 switches downstairs that turn on the hallway lights. However, when coming down the stairs on a dark winter's morning, I don't want to switch the upstairs landing light on and flood the bedrooms with light (don't say close the doors!). So, I'd like to be able to switch the downstairs hallway light on from upstairs. The hall and staircase is arranged in a way that light from downstairs would easily light my way. I could then switch it off when I leave the house. Can anyone tell me if this is possible and how to do it.

Thanks a lot.

Webby

p.s. I have 2 questions in one here so I've posted it under 2 different headings. Hope that's ok. Cheers

 

[Chivers7]

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting Have a look on here then if you have any further questions please post

 

[Webby54]

I'm sorry, that might help if I knew which part I should be reading, but it's all a bit complex to me.

Thanks

 

[jj4091]

The hall and staircase is arranged in a way that light from downstairs would easily light my way. I could then switch it off when I leave the house. Can anyone tell me if this is possible and how to do it

Unfortunately the wiring will not be (arranged in an easy way), you will need to get a 3-core & earth cable from the existing switch to the new location & fit a two-way switch & change downstairs one for the same. Are you still interested?

 

[Space cat]

The first four parts are relevant. The ease with which you can change your bathroom light switch depends on how your existing light is wired. If you have power looped through the switch it will be difficult. If it's looped through the light fitting or through a separate junction box it's much easier; you remove the flat twin and earth from the existing switch and take it to your new pull switch.

The second part of the job will a pig no matter what you've got already. You are now entering the world of three way switching. The switch you have already will be useless so the first thing you'll need is a new intermediate switch. You can read up on the wiring in section four of that link then decide for yourself whether the results will be worth the effort.

 

[jj4091]

Spacecat, I think he means that he has a 2-way circuit on the landing light & 1-way on the hall which he wants to turn into a 2-way. I answered the same as you originally but then re-read the post.Or perhaps I read it wrong the second time

 

[Space cat]

Spacecat, I think he means that he has a 2-way circuit on the landing light & 1-way on the hall which he wants to turn into a 2-way.

I've read the post again myself and I think your right.

Webby54, IF the existing wiring does not loop through the old switch, you will need to run some three core and earth from the now empty switch to the one downstairs just like jj4091 says. You will also need to rewire, and possibly replace, the downstairs switch. You should read section three.

 

[Webby54]

Hey, Thanks guys. It sounds like the switch rewiring is too big a job for me. The pull cord switch would just be a case of intercepting that cable and wiring it into the switch and fitting it into the ceiling wouldn't it?

Only then I would have a useless switch on the landing! Hmmm.

Webby

Looks like I need a leccy. One in the Totton, southampton area preferably

 

[RF Lighting]

http://www.competentperson.co.uk/