Any Sparks on AS? - Double Light Switch.

AlexGSi2000

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After abit of help on this one.

I have just fitted an exterior light to the house (wiring is already there but not connected)

Upon exposing the wiring, I expected 3-core cable (Brown, Blue, Earth) but I was presented with 4-core cable (Black, Grey, Brown, Earth)

I connected the lamp fitting as follows;
Brown=Live
Black=Neutral
Earth=Earth

The switch on the other side is a double, which controls the hallway light and outside light.
The outside light wiring has not been connected to anything on the switch - this is where I'm stuck!

Here is the wiring behind the switch;


The wiring from the outside light fitting is all on the left.
 
4 core would only be if it was a double external light that you need to control separately from the other, don't worry to much about the number of wires its just to cover future fittings to save running more wires :)

Make sure you have a proper electrical screwdriver that has the internal light when connected to live wires, switch the breaker of when doing the wiring, test wires after breaker turned of before touching any wires you need to move or add too & above all else, be ****** careful :p

It looks like the existing connected L2 is the live feed to the switch plate anyway with 2 wires in, which is probably just a ring circuit, 1 in 1 out, unless you have 2 hallway lights therefore L1 is the live in, but we'll soon find out.

Anyway, to be sure, with all power still turned on, turn of the hallway light of, put the insulated electrical screwdriver on the L2 wires, if it glows then this is your live in, if it doesn't, then put the screwdriver on the L1 & see if this lights up, if so then this is your live in.

So link the black to the existing blue neutrals, earth to the screw plate in back of metal backbox & then connect the brown to L1 of the empty screw terminal & then you need to put a link wire, from the existing live wire L1 or L2 depending on the test done before, to the L2 of the other side that's empty.

The link wire is purely providing the actual live to the circuit up to the bulb when switch is moved to correct position :)
 
Many thanks for the advice, I will give this a go after work tomorrow and report back!
 
So if I don't hear back by the following day, I'll assume you didn't use an electrical insulated screwdriver :p
 
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As Nigel has stated that is Correct.

The 2 browns which go into L2 on the switch are the permanent lives
The 2 blues in the separate block are the neutrals of the circuit
The earths to the back of the box are the earths

As stated how you have currently got the light connected you connect the brown of your 4 core to L2 on the second switch then a link wire from the hallway L2 (the one with the 2 browns) to L1 of the second switch

The black from the 4core to the separate connector with 2 blues in it

Then the green and yellow earth into the other earths in the back of the box

This will then work


The reason that there is a a 4core cable is because its designed for applications where there is a PIR light fitted (where the light has a movement sensor)so that when you switch the switch ON it overrides the sensor and makes the light stay on permanently until the switch is switched off. With the switch in the OFF position if the movement sensor activates it will bring the light on for a timed period

If you want I'm happy to tell you how to wire the light for this application it's fairly easy (I am assuming you have fitted a movement sensor light ) if no sensor fitted then how you have it wired above it will work correctly with the switch operating the light
 
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Glad a sparks has confirmed what I said as it was late when I replied lol.
 
Thanks for the confirmation Gaz - I thought the 4-core may have had something to do with a perm / switched live.
The light I have fitted is just a basic on/off light with no PIR.

Yes - if I don't report back by tomorrow, then I did something wrong :wacko:
 
Well, im still here - and I can now see my front door :icon_thumright:
Thanks for the guidance!