wall lights help please

[leehartnell]

hello.

i am in need of some advice and can't seem to find anything on this site or the internet for that matter.

in my living room i have a ceiling light and two wall lights which are all controlled by a single switch.to solve the problem of having all lights switched on at once i was going to get wall lights with a switch or pull cord. But the other problem ihave is that the wall lights are mounted quite high and it would be a struggle to try and reach the pull cord.

Is there any way around this?

Thanks

lee

 

[riveralt]

You could buy a dimmer switch


Or buy a longer piece of string.

 

[leehartnell]

im guessing if i use a dimmer switch it will dim all three lights when i want the option of being able to turn the wall lights on without the ceiling light.

And yes i could buy a longer piece of string but i dont want my front room to look like a disabled toilet do i

 

[electronicsuk]

The way around your problem is to install new, extra wiring. Without a crystal ball it's impossible to say how much work or disruption this will involve. Under very favourable circumstances it may be possible to change from a single to two-gang switch and alter the wiring at the ceiling rose, but more likely is that an additional new cable will need to be installed to the switch.

 

[riveralt]

im guessing if i use a dimmer switch it will dim all three lights when i want the option of being able to turn the wall lights on without the ceiling light.

And yes i could buy a longer piece of string but i dont want my front room to look like a disabled toilet do i

Disabled Toilet

If you offer a solution and then dismiss it because it cannot work (you cannot reach) then do not offer that solution - otherwise accept what is a reasonable answer.

If you are dismissive of these suggestions then you only have one option and that is to rewire the circuit.

But to start you need to understand how the current lighting circuit is set up.

How many wires are at the switch, ceiling rose and wall lights?

Is the power for the wall lights derived from the ceiling rose or the switch?

Do you have sufficient confidence and competence to rearrange the cabling?

Look up Lighting circuits on Wiki then compare to the one you have.

 

[securespark]

im guessing if i use a dimmer switch it will dim all three lights when i want the option of being able to turn the wall lights on without the ceiling light.

And yes i could buy a longer piece of string but i dont want my front room to look like a disabled toilet do i

Shakes head in disbelief...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

i am in need of some advice and can't seem to find anything on this site or the internet for that matter.

That's simply not true.

• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/electricity.html
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/domesticinstallations.html
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:books
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics
  
  
• Search

Is there any way around this?

There are two ways:.

1. You learn how lighting circuits work, look into how yours is wired and where the cables run, and install extra wiring and switches to make it work the way you want.
   
   
2. You get an electrician.