my problem is putting a new switch on an old curcuit where the back is brown and old to a new modern day switch that is grey, i put the wires in the same holes com l1 l2 exetra but the light went all dicky any ideas?
Thanks for the video, this makes perfect sense, however I’ve got 2 light switches in my living room that control the centre rose and both switches only have 3 wires 🤔. I can’t remember whether it’s ever worked, but basically you can switch it on with the first switch, then off or on with the second switch. But to use that second switch, the first has to be in the on position! Likewise if the 2nd switch is in its off position, the first won’t work! No wire markings so I don’t know what is what and it’s not so easy to reach the rose and switches with a multimeter. Am baffled.
Mr DIY, I'm trying to add a 2 way switch but it's not working. Can I send you 2 photos of my work please and get your advice Excellent videos by the way
Hi, great vid. I have this in my living room. I want to add some spot lights to a media unit and have it working off of one of the switches. Can you just replace the switch to a 2 gang switch and bridge a live to have the second switch in the 2 gang switch to operate the spot lights separately whilst leaving everything else working the same as it was?
Good information mate thanks. Goes over my head a bit like. I've got a 4 gang old switch in the hallway of this old house operating 4 lights. 2 in the hall and landing and 2 in the reception room and front room. I'm after swapping it for a 2 gang switch operating the landing and hall alone and adding a single switch to each downstairs room which have no switch at all. Just wondering if I can do this running from the existing wiring? 2 red 2 black and 2 grey wires running into the 4 gang. At the moment I've just stood looking at it when I walk past now and again!!
Nice guide to the wiring thanks. But I was really looking to understand how the circuit is actually working and this didn’t really explain anything. It would be great if the vid actually explained the flow of power through the circuit.
Hey buddy. Got a Question for you. I'm decorating jst now & I'm taking an old 2way plastic light switch off & replacing wth a 2way metal switch plate. The old one has yellow wiring going into L1 & L2, White wire going into the Common. Do I connect new metal switch plate exactly the same way?. Theres 2 earth wires in bk box. Do I take 1 of those earths out & fit it to new metal S plate earth terminal & leave 1 in bk box?? Liked & Subscribed 👍
Hmm, it looks like in my house wiring it is the opposite. So what you have in your ceiling rose, I have in the switch and vice versa. How would this work?
I have a 2 way switch bottom of the stairs and and 2 way switch at the top of the stairs, both switches only have twin and earth, with a rose and lamp in middle of the steps. I'm confused there's not the extra bit of wiring you have there 🤔🤷♂️
Do all three wires go into the switch itself (e.g. the CPC (earth) is not wired into the Earth terminal?) If so, some cowboy has skimped on buying proper 3 core and is using the CPC as a switched phase conductor.
It would have been nice if u explained via maybe a switch diagram how the current flows through the switches and is subsequent turned on or off by each switch it would give people a better grasp of what exactly is happening in two way switching that said it was still a great tutorial
Can you do a video where the other switch turns a different bulb(s) on In the same room like for separate down lights so you dont need the main light on please
Hi, the way as you connect it works but it is not so common. You connected the commons of the two 2way switches. I think you should also mentioned that there is another method to realise a two way light switch. I mean the method where the phase, which come in into the first 2wayswitch will connect with the common position and the switched phase is connected in the second 2wayswitch with the common position as well and go back to the first 2way switch. You can see the method i am talking about in the youtube video of John Ward ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LPJ_nE1JAqg.htmlfeature=shared.
Still trying to understand how to fit a 2-way smart light switch (The 'no neutral' kind) The manufacturers diagram says... Switch 1 (LB terminal) To light Then both switches have an LB1 and LB2 terminal, which are connected in parallel. LB1-->LB1 and LB2-->LB2 But switchbox 2 doesn't have a 'switched live to light' connection... so, I'm guessing this is extended from Switchbox1 over the 3+E(Grey) as per the video. Thing is, Switch1 doesn't actually USE the 'switched live' wire (according to manufacturer diagram) ... so, I'm guessing I should use a separate terminal block to join SwitchedLive --to--> Grey and bring it across to Switch 2. So, following this through in my mind... So now the 3+E(Grey) is bringing Switched Live from the main box to the slave box. Slap a brown sleeve on it. 3+E(Brown) is unconnected 3+E(Black) is unconnected And the 3+E(Earth) is chaining up all the earths as normal So, now I have Brown and Black spare in the 3+E... but I worry that it's maybe 'wrong' to use these for connecting LB1->LB1 and LB2->LB2. The LB1 and LB2 links between the switches are both switched lives I suppose, so do I connect those up with the remaining Brown and Black, and just slip brown sleeves on them both... at both sides? Does this sound like a sane plan? Or do I need to be smacked across the head and have my screwdriver confiscated ; ) Then, I guess it's just a case of finishing off by putting the supplied bypass capacitor in parallel with the light itself (as per the switches 'no neutral' instructions) and this will help keep some trickle current to keep the smart switches powered - as per my 1-way 2-gang 'no neutral' install (which works great) I might pop a laminated wiring diagram in behind the faceplate, just to avoid any later confusion. Or is that frowned on.
I'm still flummoxed but I'm reconnecting a 3 gang switch, x2 one way downstairs lights and a two way upstairs light. The downstairs lights work fine but the upstairs light only works from the downstairs switch, I haven't even messed with the upstairs switch.
Hi I've got a 3 gang light switch 2 work the upstairs and downstairs the 3rd goes to an outside light I've put a timer on it Timeguard ZV700B Automatic Digital Security 7 Day Light Switch Timer Switch on it but it doesn't light up I'm sure I've put the wires back the same way any thoughts please thank you
Yeah good vid a tip from a spark when wiring a loop in loop out system mark your feed&neutral on the grey insulation with an x your switch wire with a line across your switch so your feeds are x your switch are marked- then when stripping your switch wire whether it's blue or black bed your switch wire in to a s shape so u know that's your switch wire be fore putting your brown sleeving just how I was taught as a lad👍
These videos are dangerous! Not necessarily in a bad way but I now think I can rewire my house. It's ok though as I've added a CO2 fire extinguisher to my basket along with the twin & earth.
I have a single light switch in upstairs hall, I also have a light in my loft that I plus into a mains socket when needed, so I would like to change the single light switch for a double so I can connect the light in the loft, is this a straight forward easy task? Thanks.
Just came across your RU-vid channel and your video showing the wiring layout is the same as mine but instead of com at the top it's L1 and L2 and 3 below. I have the BG electrical evolve single touch dimmer switch and on the back are, a symbol with a wavy line with an arrow through it, s.link and L connections. My question is does the black wire brown sleeve go into wavy line symbol, the grey wire brown sleeve and blue wire into s.link and 2 brown wires into L?
My existing light switch is a different type. It controls an LED fluorescent tube in my garage. One brown wire into L1. One brown wire into com. Two blue wires into N loop ... Help!
Afternoon great video but I want to go from 2 switch room to a 1 switch room as we’ve had one door way bricked up. I’ve put a blank faceplate on and taped off the cables but now the main light switch won’t turn the lights on. 🤦🏼♂️
Hi Mate. Thanks for your video. How to connect dimmer switch? Ceiling lights and wall lights on one switch but every time I connected it. All lights turn on. Not separately.
Another great video. You make electrics seem so easy! One request...could we have a quick wiring diagram at the end that we could screenshot and refer back to? 😉
Run hot to the pole of one switch, hot from the pole of the second switch to the load. Connect the other side oif the load to neutral. Connect one leg of each switch to one leg of the other. Connect the remaining switch legs. How you route the conductors depends on the conduit or cable routing. If there is power and neutral at the load, you could run a 3-conductor from it to each switch and spice everything at the load.
for some dumb reason what you call a 2 way light switch we call a 3 way light switch even though there are only 2 switches. Yes its dumb, your wording is much better. In fact if there are 3 switches we call it a 4 way. LOL. Go figure.
What about a 3 button switch for outside lights, controling button 1 for flood light, button 2 controls 12v led 5m strip light and button 3 controls 12v lights in the garden? How do I wire it?
Can you wire an outside light from an inside light switch? as there is no seperate power source, only an existing room light switch. Do you still require a 5A fused switch?
I understand the concept.. I am looking to get rid of one switch.. my set up is that I have the brown wire going into comm. and the L1 is the black wire.. there are several browns connected together and blues connected together.. can I connect brown and blue to the others and leave the black unconnected and capped?
As an electrical engineer of 40 years experience, I am impressed with the way and the terminology used to explain how the 2 way lighting system works. Only one criticism, is that you forgot to mention the “ strappers form the switching link between the 2 switches . But apart from that 👏👏👏WELL DONE
Your videos are very educational for apprentices and DIY electrics that so many people need educational videos on because I've seen some really bad DIY jobs! I started off in the deep end of electrics at a dodgy factory doing 3 phase well mad to do 3 phase has a kid but I'm lucky because for some reason I understand electrics and love how advanced electronics and electrical equipment has advanced today and lucky no one died from any of my DIY jobs! I can see your passion for electrics, thank you 😊 love what you do!
Youd need an electrician to this job in an older house ? I have a situation like this switch on the top of the stair well and a switch at the bottom but the are not wired for two way unless you run the cable out side the wall between the switches which would look unsightly .
I live in a new build property and the garage is like an extra socket on the downstairs socket ring. I have a 13 amp socket in the house that goes direct to the garage to feed power and lighting. The garage recieves power from this in another fused socket (the light switch) which is 5 amp. This then has 3 wires earth, neutral & live. The garage is about 18 meters long and ideally I would like to have a switch at each end but unfortunately I can't follow this guide as I don't have 4 wires. Any help would be appreciated, maybe your next video?
Our wiring is old. The upstairs hallway switch has two separate wires coming in. One wire has only two cores/conductors connected, earth and live. The other wire has all three connected.
Another great video, thank you. Your electrical videos are the best on RU-vid, you explain things very clearly and I learn so much from you. Really good to see your channel growing as well - keep up the great work 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you for the wiring breakdown. I'm soon to be tackling breaking down a twin switch at the bottom of my stairway; it has a 3 way and a 2 way switch (3 way for the stairwell and 2 way for the hallway). I'm wanting to split off the 3 way to its own switch and the 2 way to be converted to a single 1 way switch so I can put a smart switch in its place, then disable the 2nd 2 way switch for the hallway since it's never used.
Thanks for good video.Well explained.There is a flaw with looping supply in ceiling roses to chain all lights.Imagine there is a fault and lights are flickering in some rooms.You'd have do go through all roses to check all connections not knowing how place has been wired up. For me every room should have individual cable supplying lights.Obviously this would involve opening consumer unit and checking connections there.Which for me would be faster. Also if someone without electrical knowledge opens up light switches or roses and by mistake removes sleeves while disconnecting some cores it will consuse everyboidy after trying to fix whole wiring. For me cables labeling is something should be as standard.
Well said, so many channels insist on heavy rock music playing whilst trying to give instructions…. I just don’t get that 🤔. Your videos are simply superb 👍
Hi i am trying to wire lights in my shed. I have been watching loads of your videos and they seem really helpful. For starters i dont know if i have bought the right kit. I have a consumer unit in the shed and run some sockets from it, and run another wire from the 6amp RCB (I think its called) to a switch with two switches on it. I wanted to put one light outside the shed and a strip light on the inside. I was wondering if you could help witha quick demo on how to do it and i can follow alnong like I have been doing previously. By the way I havnt connceted it to the house yet LOL really nervous for doing that until im sure i have done what I can to get it all wired up completely. Again many thanks for your tutorials they are a great help.
Excellent video. However, I’d like to have a 2-way switch on three ballasted strip picture lights. I believe that you can’t run these in series. So my question is: In place of the dangley flex light, can I run a three core flex to a junction box, then wire the three picture lights in parallel (star) to that junction box? Cheers
Brilliant...quick question..... If you are wiring in a 2 way switched section of down lights that are only a part of the main lighting ring in a kitchen ( so no individual cieling rose) do you treat each zone of lights as a separate "room" and run your twin and earth from the consumer board to your first light or does the twin and earth carrying the live terminate at the switches? So in my case I have 6 external downlights in a soffit that will have an external PIR and an internal switch. So do I 3 core and earth from internal switch 1 to PIR and then 2 core and earth from PIR to downlight 1 and then daisy chain the downlights together...and if so does the live feed going from consumer board go to the internal switch or to the first downlight? In the kitchen there will be 5 different lighting zones all independently 2 way switched.....I won't be connecting up..sparky will do that... But I need to run the cables to fit soffit and need to know where the cables need to run. We are still waiting to instruct a sparky as they are all taking an age to get prices together ......thanks.
Thank you so much for posting this. I was helping my neighbor who was moving out go back to his original lights. I neglected to make a note of how the wiring was presuming that all the live and all the neutral where together. On a 2 switch 1 gangway hallway bulb. The result was the light being on regardless of the switch position. But when you turned one switch off the breaker would trip. I tested it with my voltmeter and found one neutral made the voltage 240 here in the UK the other 2 nothing. after watching your post. I placed the live neutral on the 2 post with the bulb live and the other 2 neutral with the bulb neutral it still tripped the breaker. I swapped the switch set up so that the 240 voltage was with one of the neutrals I found the bulb was on but lower in brightness, when one of the switches was turned off it went brighter when the other was turned off nothing. So I swapped the non load carrying neutrals for the switches and it worked perfect. So thank you without your vid I would not have tried to wire the switch as part of the circuit. It makes perfect sense when it works. But I was so confused before it did...Ray
Thank you for this video, your step by step guide made adding an additional light switch in the garage into a simple task, a lot easier to understand then the enclosed written instructions with the light switch. Your videos are appreciated so much, thank you.
Brilliant. Your explanation is the best. Could you created similar video that show how to connect with double switch when one switch control bottom level and top level and top switch control bottom level and top?
It’s more difficult to push the face plate back when there’s more wires .. eg all the neutrals in the back box instead of in the ceiling light fitting .. Looks like they changed the Regs again
You can buy twin brown + cpc twin and earth cable,it would be good electrical practice to do so but contractors are too lazy to buy a small reel of this type of cable
Great video this, really clear and easy to follow. Would it be possible to show (do a video) how the wiring from the configuration in this video would apply to a 1 gang, 2 way smart switch (not wifi, no neutral) such as the CNBINGO switches at all?
