Hello,
I'm trying to figure out the wiring going to the light switches in my
hall and on my landing respectively.

When I bought the house, each switch fitted is a simple on-off switch
- so you cannot switch the hall light off from the landing or
vice-versa. However, I think the actual wiring inside the switch
housings may be designed for double switches - enabling one to switch
the hall light off from the landing or vice-versa. (At least, that is
what I'm hoping.)

Can someone tell me how to determine (visually or otherwise) if the
wires inside the switch housings are indeed as I am hoping?

I am only a DIY-er - not an electrician (as you surely surmised). I
have done various domestic wiring alterations though, in the past.

Thank you. PS - I do have a volt-meter at hand if equired.

Allen

Allen wrote:

Hello,
I'm trying to figure out the wiring going to the light switches in my
hall and on my landing respectively.

When I bought the house, each switch fitted is a simple on-off switch
- so you cannot switch the hall light off from the landing or
vice-versa. However, I think the actual wiring inside the switch
housings may be designed for double switches - enabling one to switch
the hall light off from the landing or vice-versa. (At least, that is
what I'm hoping.)



If so, there needs to be two three way cables - presumably unused -
coming into each switch box.

You will need a pair of changeover switches to replace the single
sitches at each location..

If not, you need to run two three way cables between the switch boxes.

How to wire them up is in the FAQ somewhere ISTR.





Can someone tell me how to determine (visually or otherwise) if the
wires inside the switch housings are indeed as I am hoping?

I am only a DIY-er - not an electrician (as you surely surmised). I
have done various domestic wiring alterations though, in the past.

Thank you. PS - I do have a volt-meter at hand if equired.

Allen

In article ,
Allen wrote:
Can someone tell me how to determine (visually or otherwise) if the
wires inside the switch housings are indeed as I am hoping?

Below is a two way switch circuit which also shows how to add a third
switch (the one in the middle). You'll see by this that all three
terminals are used for two way switching as opposed to two for one way.



L1 L1
0===========0 0===========0============= Line
| \ / |
C 0================================O C
\ / \ /
0===========0 0===========0============= Switch return
L2 Optional L2
Intermediate

--
*There's two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither one works *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

Allen wrote:

Hello,
I'm trying to figure out the wiring going to the light switches in my
hall and on my landing respectively.

When I bought the house, each switch fitted is a simple on-off switch
- so you cannot switch the hall light off from the landing or
vice-versa. However, I think the actual wiring inside the switch
housings may be designed for double switches - enabling one to switch
the hall light off from the landing or vice-versa. (At least, that is
what I'm hoping.)

Can someone tell me how to determine (visually or otherwise) if the
wires inside the switch housings are indeed as I am hoping?

I would think it unlikely, I'm afraid, that wiring is in place for
two-way switching. What is much more likely is that the *switches"
are capable of two-way switching.

To allow two-way switching the normal way to wire it is to have a
triple and earth cable running from one of the two-way switches to the
other. Normally this will be coloured red/blue/yellow. If you have a
cable of this sort present at both switch boxes (two cables if you
want two two-way switches, one for hall, one for landing) then there's
a chance you have the wiring in place. However, as I said, I think
it's pretty unlikely.

If these triple and earth wires appear to be in place come back for
more information on how to check them and then how to wire them.

There are other possible ways of wiring two-way switches, these may
just be different ways of providing three conductors from one switch
to the other (a Twin and Earth plus a single for example) or there is
a completely different way of wiring it. However it's done though
there will need to be three separate wires into the switch box for
each two-way switch (excluding earth).

--
Chris Green )

O
There are other possible ways of wiring two-way switches, these may just
be different ways of providing three conductors from one switch to the
other (a Twin and Earth plus a single for example) or there is a
completely different way of wiring it. However it's done though there
will need to be three separate wires into the switch box for each two-way
switch (excluding earth).

Agreed and whatever you do, DON'T be tempted to use the earth conductor as
one of the strapping wires as I have seen done by a 'electrician'.

Dave

--
And you were born knowing all about ms windows....??

Dave Stanton wrote:

O

There are other possible ways of wiring two-way switches, these may just
be different ways of providing three conductors from one switch to the
other (a Twin and Earth plus a single for example) or there is a
completely different way of wiring it. However it's done though there
will need to be three separate wires into the switch box for each two-way
switch (excluding earth).


Agreed and whatever you do, DON'T be tempted to use the earth conductor as
one of the strapping wires as I have seen done by a 'electrician'.



Yeah. Mind you, having wired all my smoke alarms faultlessly using three
core plus earth, I now find that the alarms have no earths...Mmm. The
temptation to use T & E with the earth being the interconnect signal
wire must be strong if that's all you have on the van...


Dave

Agreed and whatever you do, DON'T be tempted to use the earth conductor
as one of the strapping wires as I have seen done by a 'electrician'.



Yeah. Mind you, having wired all my smoke alarms faultlessly using three
core plus earth, I now find that the alarms have no earths...Mmm. The
temptation to use T & E with the earth being the interconnect signal wire
must be strong if that's all you have on the van...


Dave


Only one to say, take pride in your work and work to the specs !!

Dave

--
And you were born knowing all about ms windows....??

"Allen" wrote in message
...

Hello,
I'm trying to figure out the wiring going to the light switches in my
hall and on my landing respectively.

When I bought the house, each switch fitted is a simple on-off switch
- so you cannot switch the hall light off from the landing or
vice-versa. However, I think the actual wiring inside the switch
housings may be designed for double switches - enabling one to switch
the hall light off from the landing or vice-versa. (At least, that is
what I'm hoping.)

Can someone tell me how to determine (visually or otherwise) if the
wires inside the switch housings are indeed as I am hoping?

I doubt it will be possible to do what you want unless there are any spare
wires in the back box. It would be easier if you gave us a description of
what wires you have got inside the back box in order to give a definate yes
or no.

--
Adam

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 09:51:30 GMT, "ARWadsworth"
wrote:

"Allen" wrote in message
...

Hello,
I'm trying to figure out the wiring going to the light switches in my
hall and on my landing respectively.

When I bought the house, each switch fitted is a simple on-off switch
- so you cannot switch the hall light off from the landing or
vice-versa. However, I think the actual wiring inside the switch
housings may be designed for double switches - enabling one to switch
the hall light off from the landing or vice-versa. (At least, that is
what I'm hoping.)

Can someone tell me how to determine (visually or otherwise) if the
wires inside the switch housings are indeed as I am hoping?

I doubt it will be possible to do what you want unless there are any spare
wires in the back box. It would be easier if you gave us a description of
what wires you have got inside the back box in order to give a definate yes
or no.

--
Adam

Thanks to everyone for the help.

When I removed the actual switches today, I found that inside each
switch housing (the one on the landing and the one in the hall) is two
two 3-core cables coming out of the wall. In each switch-housing, one
of the cables was not being used, since the switch fitted was a simple
on-off switch for the local lightbulb.

The spare cable could be going from the hall to the landing couldn't
it?

How do I find out if the wiring is set up for doubles switches (so the
hall light can be turned off from the landing and vice-versa)?

I guess I could buy two double switches and wire them in. Would there
be a wiring diagram in the light-switch instruction sheet?

Or is there another way I can determine if this is how the wiring is
set up (and, indeed if the wiring is actually woking as intended) -
without first buying the switches?

Please advise - amny thanks...

Allen

In article ,
Allen wrote:
I guess I could buy two double switches and wire them in. Would there
be a wiring diagram in the light-switch instruction sheet?

I posted one earlier on in this thread.

--
*Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 13:52:51 +0000, Dave Stanton wrote:


Agreed and whatever you do, DON'T be tempted to use the earth conductor
as one of the strapping wires as I have seen done by a 'electrician'.



Yeah. Mind you, having wired all my smoke alarms faultlessly using three
core plus earth, I now find that the alarms have no earths...Mmm. The
temptation to use T & E with the earth being the interconnect signal wire
must be strong if that's all you have on the van...


Dave


Only one to say, take pride in your work and work to the specs !!

Which means having to write off the occasional half day for the sake of
standards and medium/long term credibility.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 18:12:17 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman
wrote:

In article ,
Allen wrote:
I guess I could buy two double switches and wire them in. Would there
be a wiring diagram in the light-switch instruction sheet?

I posted one earlier on in this thread.


I see you did, Dave - thank you. Unfortunately for me, I have to
admit I'm not experienced enough to make any sense sense of it.

Allen

In article ,
Allen wrote:
I see you did, Dave - thank you. Unfortunately for me, I have to
admit I'm not experienced enough to make any sense sense of it.

The terminals Com L1 and L2 refer to the three terminals you'll find on a
two way switch. These should all be cabled to the second two way switch
using your 3 way cable. The cable that was to the original one way switch
is simply coupled across L1 and L2 on that switch.

--
*Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 16:11:50 GMT, Allen wrote:


Thanks to everyone for the help.

When I removed the actual switches today, I found that inside each
switch housing (the one on the landing and the one in the hall) is two
two 3-core cables coming out of the wall. In each switch-housing, one
of the cables was not being used, since the switch fitted was a simple
on-off switch for the local lightbulb.

When you say one of the wires isn't used, do you mean that one of the wires
(probably the black) from each cable are just joined together? If so, I
would guess what you have is one cable is the supply, live+neutral+earth,
and the other goes to the light, switched live+neutral+earth. ie it is
used, just not connected to the switch.
If this isn't what you have, what do you have? What colours are connected
to what? A look at the wiring into the light fitting would give useful info
too (one cable or more?). There are various ways the lights could be wired
up.

The spare cable could be going from the hall to the landing couldn't
it?

Doubt it.

How do I find out if the wiring is set up for doubles switches (so the
hall light can be turned off from the landing and vice-versa)?

I guess I could buy two double switches and wire them in. Would there
be a wiring diagram in the light-switch instruction sheet?

If what you want is two switches downstairs and two switches upstairs, you
would need two runs of three core + earth cable between the switch points,
which you don't have. It would be simpler to modify the existing wiring so
both lights are on the same circuit and switched from both points, ie one
switch downstairs, one switch upstairs, both lights are on and off
together. Probably still need some new cable putting in though.