wall lights but no on/off switch

[WishIknewmore]

I have fitted two wall mounted lights but they came with no pull cord or toggle switch so there appears no way to turn them on and off. The room’s light switches only control the ceiling lights. I thought about using the pull cords from the old lights but are there any other small discreet switches available that could be used instead?

 

[IanDB]

I have fitted two wall mounted lights

But you do need to get cable to get to these points. How were you planning to do this?

All you need to now about wiring in lights and switches is shown in the "sticker" "For Reference" from Breezer at the top of this page. Have a look at that and then come back with another question if it's not clear.

It doesn't sound as though you really know what you're doing, in which case it's worth getting somebody to have a look at what you want to do.

 

[WishIknewmore]

The supply cables to the wall lights are already buried in the wall. Perhaps I should have said I have connected the lights to the existing points. However, when the supply cables were put in there was no wall switch fitted and they were not linked to one or other of the ceiling light on/off switches.

My only problem is that my new wall lights did not come with a pull cord or any other on/off switch. I therefore need to wire in a simple on/off switch between the wall supply live wire and the lights eg a pull cord switch on some wall lights.

All I want to know is if I can't use the pull cord switches from the old lights are there any other small discreet switches that might do the job?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Presumably the old pull-cord switches were an integral part of the old lights, and would be difficult to remove and fit to the new ones.

Plan A - architrave switches like these:

Plan B - rewire the circuit so that the wall lights are controlled by a wall switch - either the same one as the ceiling lights or a new one.

 

[journeyman]

Where do the cables that supply the wall lights connect to. If you are lucky, then they will be connected to the same junction box as the ceiling lights. If they are, and you can gain access to this box, then it might be a simple fix.

All you have to do is disconnect the live wires and connect them to the same switch return as the ceiling light.

 

[WishIknewmore]

Thank you, I'll look into both options.

 

[securespark]

PLAN C........

wait for it......
















Buy light fittings with integral switches.

Dah, dah!!!

Some ranges have a switched and an unswitched version, and if it is not a bathroom, there are fittings with rocker switches integrated, rather than pullcords.