Take power from a light switch

[Lol999]

Hi, new to the forum, consider myself a bog standard diy-er, better with wood and paint but happy to try most things.
I'm renovating a property and in the downstairs 'outhouse' there's a light with a single switch on or off.
I would like to put another light in another part of the outhouse and it would be convenient if \I could take a spur from the existing switch to feed a new switch and light fitting.

If this is possible could someone help me out with the wiring scheme please?

 

[AndyPRK]

Take a pic of the rear of the switch wiring and back box and post

 

[Lol999]

Will do mate - thanks.

 

[Mottie]

I doubt it. From my little knowledge of wiring, light switches usually only have a live/switched live and an earth. No neutral.

 

[muffking]

The picture Andy requested should tell if there's a Neutral at the switch.
Alternatively it may be an option to explore taking the supply from the light fitting.

 

[AndyPRK]

Shed/outhouses can be different though

 

[Lol999]

Okay so here's the offending switch. The other one I took the front plate off and it was so old Moses had done the safety check so I left it alone as it required further disassembly to get to the gubbins.

Switch

• Lol999
• 5 Sep 2020

 

[AndyPRK]

Humm can you see any black wires above the switch ?

If not, no you can take a feed from there.

You should be able to take it from the light.
Post pics of that if you want help

 

[Lol999]

I changed the light fitting coupled to this switch today as it was ancient. It had red, black and earth wires, 1 of each. Would that be more suitable?
If it made life easier I could have the switch turn on the light it is connected to at present and 1 other lamp.

 

[AndyPRK]

No not more suitable.

Yeah you could take the feed from the light and require both switches to be on.

Or just use leds (only have the one existing switch) where it wouldn’t matter to and have both lights on at the same time

 

[Lol999]

With the above scenario of wiring I described could I loop another lamp in so both are on at the same time?

 

[AndyPRK]

Yeah. Connect from the existing light

 

[JohnW2]

Okay so here's the offending switch. The other one I took the front plate off and it was so old Moses had done the safety check so I left it alone as it required further disassembly to get to the gubbins.

What does the "other switch" do - is it related to the light and switch we are talking about?

I changed the light fitting coupled to this switch today as it was ancient. It had red, black and earth wires, 1 of each. Would that be more suitable?

Do you know where the cable from the fitting (with red, black and earth) and the cable from the switch (with red, red and earth) go to? Since they are clearly different cables, I presume that they must meet at a junction box of some sort - and if that is accessible, it should have both the 'permanent live' and neutral that you need for your new light.

Kind Regards, John

 

[AndyPRK]

I was thinking they were single and earth cables at the switch

 

[JohnW2]

I was thinking they were single and earth cables at the switch

Yes, although it's not totally clear in the pic, I also thought that's what they probably are, unusual though such cables are (I should have written 'cables', rather than 'cable').

My point was that there are two red conductors at the switch (which must be L and S/L) and, we are told, just one black and one red at the light (which must be N and S/L) - so, as I said, those two sets of (different coloured) conductors must meet somewhere (presumably a JB or suchlike), and both L and N must be present at that somewhere. Do you disagree with that?

Kind Regards, John