Light switch wiring.....

[mtproc]

Hi,

Am wanting to know about wiring a light switch. The switch is one of 2 switches operating the same 2 lights in my hall.

I have 2 cables, one with a red, black and yellow/green earth wire the other with a red, blue, yellow and a yellow/green earth wire.

The switch has 3 places for the wires. L1, L2 and COM.

The 2 live red wires will go together as will the blue and black but where do they and the yellow wire fit into the switch.

Regards and Thanks

[funroll]

Erm, stop right now.....

I think you should probably refer to the FAQ at

you go any further. If you still don't understand then ask - it's not quite as simple as you think (although it is obvious when you realise what is really going on).

Phil

[Christian McArdle]

All the conductors are actually lives, either permanent or switched. The blue/black doesn't mean neutral. There are different methods of wiring this up. My favourite below has the advantage of not requiring any additional connector blocks.

Firstly, get some red sleeving. You can use red insulation tape, but it isn't as secure.

Connect the reds to L1. Connect the black and blue to L2. Connect the yellow to COM.

At the other switch you should have just the 3 core + earth cable. It is wired the same, except for the absence of the 2 core cable.

Connect the red to L1. Connect the blue to L2. Connect the yellow to COM.

Ensure that every single conductor, apart from the yellow/green earth are either already red, or have red sleeving. If your house largely uses new colours (and it apparently doesn't) use brown sleeving.

Christian.

[Andy Wade]

The red & black from one cable are the switch drop from the light and go to L1 and L2 (either way round). The red, yellow & blue cable is the two-way switch wiring to the second switch and needs to be wired the same way round as the other 2-way switch (in particular COM must go to the COM at the other switch). Red to red is not necessarily correct, as some electricians use red for the COMs with yellow and blue for the "strappers" between the L1s and L2s.

All wires (except the earths) should have red sleeves fitted, to indicate 'live' (phase).

[Dave Plowman (News)]

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