simple 2 gang switch wiring!!

[Bill6]

Hi there
I want to control two external lights separately - both are cabled internally with separate plugs - a lot of clutter! I've led a fused spur into the hall (twin and earth) and have a 2 gang switch above it for the lights.
The switch has 2 identical connectors each with L1, COM, and L2
How do I connect these and the power supply so that I can control my lights independently?

Regards,
Bill

 

[breezer]

its actualy not that hard

you must bring the cables to the switch (one for each light and one from the spur)

all the neutrals (black) get connectedto each other (in connector block)
all the earth wires get green sleaving and connected to each other (connector block)

that leaves 3 reds (one from each lightone from the spur)

connect each red from the lights to L1 (one in each)

Connect the red from the spur to the first C terminal
connect a short red wire from the same C terminal ( so it has two reds) to the other C terminal


put it all back together

put 5 amp fuse back in spur

send £50 to me

 

[Bill6]

Breezer,

Absolutely brill...
Thanks a million for the very speedy reply. Haven't seen a 50 quid note in years - not sure if uz scots have one..but if I do I'll send you a very good photo copy !! (Scots arent really mean - they're really, really mean!

Thanks a million - the website is a gem, full of thoughtful, genuinely helpful replies - I'm delighted I found it.

Best regards,
Bill

 

[breezer]

 

[MANDATE]

Bill,
Try to imagine and draw a very simple circuit, where you complete the circuit using three wires as follows,
1. Start by drawing left to right a horizontal wire from fuse box to the input side of a switch.
2. Next draw down a vertical wire from the output side of the switch to the input side of a light.
3. Finish by drawing right to left a horizontal wire from the output side of the light back to the fuse box.

The wire at 1 will be a 'live' and should always be red
The wire at 2 will be a 'switched live' this could be red or if a different colour should have a red flag or sleeve. ie it's live when switch is on.
The wire at 3 is the neutral and should be black.

Because your cable contains two wires you cannot make the circuit decribed without the use of a junction box.
So now draw a junction box with four terminals say A B C D
First keep A in reserve for connecting the earths
Now follow this.
1 Live from fuse box to term. B
2 Live from B to switch
3 Switched live from switch to term. C
4 Switched live from term C to light
5 Neutral from light to term D
6 Neutral from term. D back to fuse box
You will find you can achieve this using twin + earth cable
Wires 1 and 6 can form a cable
So can 2 and 3 and also 4 and 5.
Your other problem relates to you switches.
A standard 1 way switch has only 2 terminals but yours has 3
which means they were designed for 2 way operation, but you can use them for 1 way. You still use the term. COM and one of the others, It doesn't matter which, the only difference is the switch could be 'up' for 'on' instead of 'down'. You can easily test this with a continuity meter.

 

[breezer]

MANDATE, i assumed (right or wrong) that as bill6 said the cables are on plugs it will be possible to remove these and as i said put the cables in the switch , no jb needed