Wiring Diagram 2 Plate Method - Taking the Feed to Another Room and Switch Connections Explained 

Could you do a video on the real world scenario of hall landing light switches, using the two plate method, highlighting the issues of two consumer unit circuits providing the feeds and not sharing neutrals. Probably good advice to make these the end points of the the radials when possible to reduce the cable count. I don't think I have seen this covered anywhere and it seems to cause a lot of problems and confusion.

Fantastic video Gaz as always. Personally I don’t like the idea of having two or more cables of one switch unless it is for two way switching. And I don’t like the two plate method , I would take the feed to a wago joint box then on to were it needs to go. But we all have our own way of doing things. so each to there own. Fantastic video any way Gaz 👍❤️⚡️

Liked before video started cos I know it’ll be brilliant and insightful 👍🏾

A lighting circuit is a _radial_ circuit. In short you _daisy chain_ from one light to the next. So the lighting equipment needs to be a *junction* to take the lighting circuit to the next light. A light has two parts: *1)* the light fitting to the lamp itself; *2)* The switch. *a) Light fitting as a junction:* In a two floor house with an attic, the light fitting tends to be used as the junction to daisy chain the lighting circuit to the next light in the circuit. Then a wire to the light switch. So, a circuit is a wire from the CU to each light fitting with each having a cable to its own switch. *No neutral wire is at the switch.* *b) Switch as a junction:* The way to do it in flats as there are no suspended floors or atttics, is to daisy chain the lighting circuit to the switches, then one wire to the light fitting. The opposite of *a)* above. So, a circuit is a wire from the CU to each switch with each switch having a cable to its own light fitting. *A neutral wire is at the switch.* In *b)* above, the daisy chained neutral needs a junction terminal on the switch or behind the switch in the box. Hager and Schneider provide a switch with an N terminal on rear of the switch, so the switch is the junction. To my knowledge Hager has been making one for at least 10 years. If the switch has no N terminals, Wagos or terminal blocks have to be used inside the light switch box. In *a)* above there are problems of wiring colours when a cable is taken to a switch, as cable with the L (brown) and N (blue) are used, needing a coloured sleeve over the N wire. There is special wire available with a yellow conductor for this, but it is rarely used. Using the switches as a junction solves this. As lighting is now more varied with downlighters, wall lighters, etc, taking the lighting circuit daisy chained to the switches makes more sense - multiple downlighters can easily be extended. It is also easier to fault find. It means the boxes behind light switches have to be far deeper to accommodate more cables and Wagos to form the junction terminals. If a lighting intermediate switch is being used, taking the circuit daisy chained via the switch makes it easy to fit one. That is how I tend explain it.

Great video Gary. Keep them coming

Great video, very well explained,thanks a lot.

Wow! This is very informative, thanks for sharing it with us. It worth it and the best tutorial on the topic for me...wtc

Thank you sir fantastic

Is it possible to get a neutral to the second switch to feed another room as well?

I presume extending a 2 plate system in a 'lived in' house is strongly recommended by decorators, unless you like surface trunking?

GAZ, your presentation is excellent and I think you should think about teaching electricals as a profession, as your very good. Kidding, I've been a big fan of your channel for years and have been helped in a lot of subjects and glad you are still putting these out. One question with regards to all the connectors in the back of the patress/ knockout box. What's your thoughts on floating cables behind the switch? I can't see an issue but there's some discussion that connectors floating around is bad and they should be secured within the enclosure.

I would like to add an entirely new switch and light to a two plate circuit. The switch at the start of the chain is on the first floor and is very full and will not take another connection. It is a two way switch with 4 x 1.5mms in it. Identical to your drawing at 8:30 My query is, Can I split the wire that is feeding the next room at a junction box to create a new light and switch. So instead of daisy changing at the end of the entire circuit, I split into two before the second room? the daisy chain will then continue as installed but now with my individual light spur and switch additionally?

Nice work Gaz! When the connection goes off to the next room, does those wires connect to the switch or the lights? Thanks

Great video but still a bit confused. If I wanted to use the 2 plate method on a 2 gang light switch supplying two different sets of lights in the same room how would you do that? Would you, for example simply run a brown cable from common to common instead of heading off to the next room?

How to split one light if it's wired in swith feed method I mean if three lights are connected to one switch and permanent live in switch how I can put another switch to turn on light from another room

Do you often find two plate method with ceiling roses? Or just down lights?

To add to the chain, do you need to find the last switch in the existing chain or can you essentially spur off any switch in the chain? I am assuming you need to work from the end of the chain?

What if its run in pvc singles and there is no neutral at the switch only at the ceiling rose, I have seen them in council houses, very annoying?, can you do a video on this please

Could you please give an example of 3 gang 2 way switch wiring via a diagram please

Would it be bad practice to mix 2 plate method and 3 plate method?

Gary, why are the two methods called 2 plate and 3 plate?

Do u guys have like online books for your works

Why not use dp light switches

When installing a lighting circuit with say 3 gangs for different lights.. all fed at switch and linked across, could you run a 3 core to one light if its accessible above and taking a permanent live also to future proof it so you have perm and neutral at light to take from

Who came up with that bright idea 🤣🤣

Plate, aren’t they things you find in a dining room ? And who decided that it was a good idea to start calling an earthing cable a CPC , probably the same moron who changed live red to brown.

So you have to get the permanent line from your switch which is chopped into the walland cannot be git at without cutting a chase to get to the permanent line cable whereas before you could find a permanent line connection from any light in any room ,so as an Industrial sparks of 50 years whoever came up with this crazy idea baffles me,you even have to put the neutral cables at the switch into connectors thus making more connections in your circuit therefore there being more of a chance of connections coming loose,yet you are pushing this method which makes me lose my respect for your teaching

Liked before video started cos I know it’ll be brilliant and insightful 👍🏾