Cable colours for switchable PIR?

Question

I'm installing a PIR floodlight. For convenience, I want it to be switched by a two-way switch, to either permanently on or PIR- controlled. The PIR is already mounted on the lamp unit. Given past poor experience, I'm not interested in one controlled by either pulsing the switch to change mode, or by X10. The circuit is simple enough, it just needs an extra core, but what's best practice in cabling this? In particular, colour coding the conductors?

The cable will be simply clipped to the inside of the conservatory - outside lights have their own circuit, with separate RCBO. I have T&E, twin brown & E, also some 1mm^2 3-phase in brown, black, grey + E. Using the 3 phase seems simplest, would this be acceptable, with the use of blue & brown sleeving to indicate the neutral and the two phase conductors (switched #1 and switched #2).

Thanks

ARWadsworth · Accepted Answer

Use the 3 core and earth (not usually called a 3 phase cable) with the sleeving colours that you have suggested. Usually the grey is the core that is sleeved with the blue sleeving the black is sleeved with brown.

Cheers

David Hansen · Answer

On Thu, 19 Aug 2010 07:34:13 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be Andy Dingley wrote this:-

I would use brown for the "permanent" live, the one to the PIR. I would use black, sleeved brown, for the switched live. I would use grey, sleeved blue, for the neutral.

Andy Dingley · Answer

Marvellous, thanks a lot.Now could someone please switch off the torrential rain that hasstarted just since I posted? Ta.

John Rumm · Answer

Use the 3&E and sheath as appropriate. The convention suggests sleeving the black as a line to dissuade folks from thinking of it as an "old" neutral.

Insulting your intelligence I am sure, but one way of achieving PIR with override as described is shown here:

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Cable colours for switchable PIR?

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