Wiring question 2

[John]

I'm trying to figure how to switch the following setup:

W --------- Blue ------------------------------------------------ L A A 1 L --------- Brown --------------------\ ----------------------- M L \ P Switch 1

Switch 1 / W --------- Brown --------------------/ ------------------------ L A A 2 L --------- Blue ------------------------------------------------ M L P

When either "switch 1" or "switch 2" is connected both lamps (1 & 2) should turn on.

Can I just connect the brown wire at both lamps? Like this:

W --------- Blue ------------------------------------------------ L A A 1 L --------- Brown --------------------\ ----------------------- M L \ | P Switch 1 | | | | | Switch 1 / | W --------- Brown --------------------/ ------------------------ L A A 2 L --------- Blue ------------------------------------------------ M L P

What if both switches are on? Is there a problem?

[roger61611]

Reading this thru it sounds as though you would be connecting hot to hot, which would blow the breaker. I think a 3-way switch may be in order.

[Chris Lewis]

According to :

As long as both fixtures are on the same circuit (same hot), there's no problem (technically). An inspector is likely to get a little huffy tho.

This is a wired "OR" (switch 1 OR switch 2 required for lamps to go on, both switches must be off before the light goes off).

This is a very unusual arrangement. Three way switches are used in what could best be considered an "exclusive OR" (one OR the other, but not both).

[Goedjn]

What you are describing will work, IF the two switches are on the same circut.

A better way is if you follow the schematic at

(The top one), using two-way switches. The safety ground is omitted for clarity.

If the first switch is UP then power goes along the line (a) to the center-pole of switch two, which is pigtailed to the line leading to the lamps.

If it's DOWN then power goes along the other line to the up-terminal of switch two, and if THAT is up, then the lamps are on, anyway. Only if both switches are down will the lamps be off.

The advantage of this is that: (A) it's fairly easy to figure out whats going on, (B) it's hard to cross-connect two circuts, and (C) the poor bastard who's coming along after you can put the switches back into a normal X-OR configuration by moving one end of wire 'a' at switch 'b'.