Wiring one way light switch

[jchannon]

Hi,

I've bought a new light switch and have some basic questions. As you can see from the photo we have old style colour wiring.

1) Red goes into new switch marked L1?
2) Black with red sleeve goes into N/LOOP?
3) Earth stays as it is wired into the metal back box?

Thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

Nope

Red to COM
Black to L1
Earth stays where it is

 

[jchannon]

WOW, thanks, totally got that wrong.

Could you explain what COM and L1 mean?

Thanks again, very much appreciated

 

[jchannon]

Ah found it here

"A one way light switch has two terminals which is a common marked as COM or C. The common is for the live wire that supplies the input voltage to the switch. The other terminal is marked as L1 and is the output to the light fixture."

https://www.downlights.co.uk/faq-wire-light-switch.html​

 

[winston1]

Not strictly true. You use the COM and either L1 or L2 depending which way up you want the switch to work. Some switches say on the back use L2 for one way or something similar.
Also it does not matter which wire is in which terminal for one way, just use the shortest one to the nearest terminal.

 

[Taylortwocities]

His switch clearly says “1 way” against the L1 terminal. Did you not even look at his post?

Your post is pointless and adds nothing except confusion. Using your guidance to use L2 would result in the switch operating upside down.

 

[winston1]

I did not say L2. I said,
"You use the COM and either L1 or L2 depending which way up you want the switch to work. Some switches say on the back use L2 for one way or something similar."

True I did not notice that this particular switch suggested L1.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi,

I've bought a new light switch and have some basic questions. As you can see from the photo we have old style colour wiring.

1) Red goes into new switch marked L1?
2) Black with red sleeve goes into N/LOOP?
3) Earth stays as it is wired into the metal back box?

Thanks

Hi,

I have some basic questions trying to replace a two way switch (a landing light where there is a switch at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom)

Currently there is 2 live wires, 2 neutral wires and another neutral wire which I assume is a loop wire?

In my new switch do I put:

1) the 2 red wires into the COM bit?
2) one neutral into L1 and one neutral into L2?
3) the other neutral/loop wire into the N/LOOP bit?

Thanks

Please, please, PLEASE spend a bit of time learning how lighting circuits work, what switches do, and how they are wired, etc.

• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting

• http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/House_Wiring_for_Beginners#Lighting

• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=uk+lighting+wiring+(basics+OR+101)

 

[winston1]

BAS. It does not matter whether you put Live in Com and switched live in L1, or Live in L1 and switched live in Com.