Intermediate Light Switch Wiring

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russ9898

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Hi Guys,

Wondering if you can help me. Friend of the family has recently had some electrical work done which involved an intermediate switch for the landing light.

The switching consists of the following

1 x 4 Gang light switch at the bottom of the stairs

1 x 2 Gang light switch at the top of the stairs

1 x 2 Gang light switch at the far end of the landing

The 4 gang switch for the light in question gets its supply by linking of the switch next to it with a twin + earth running up to the switch at the top of the stairs with a twin and earth going from the switch at the top of the stairs to switch at the far end of the landing.

At the minute the light is only working from the 4 gang switch at the bottom of the stairs as the electrician who wired/connected has ballsd up and wont come back. (he has wired for an intermediate yet fitted 2 way switches on all 3 switches)

Ive just looked on TLC and seen that i can buy an intermediate grid switch which im thinking i can make use of. Now i was always under the impression that you needed 3core + earth to wire an intermediate although a part of me is thinking that i can get away by using the twin is that right? Would anyone care to explain to me how to connect up?

Before you all shout at me im only a third year apprentice and have never had dealings with 2 ways before so its a learning curve for me as well as trying to fix someone else's mess.

I'm going to do a drawing on paint in a min of how i think it should be wired if you could either confirm that would work or correct i would very much appreciate it.

Thanks, Russ

 
Intermediate.jpg
 
Thanks for the link, i did visit that site before asking.

The problem i have is that method requires 3 core cable...which the electrician in question hasnt installed. He installed T+E

 
Right. So, as the piccie you`ve posted shows, you`re breaking the strapper wires, in order to allow for them to be inverted.

As long as you`ve got T+E coming in & out again, at the position you want the i/m switch - job sorted.

 
Yep.. thats about it...

the fundamental principal as KME says.

is that the Int' switch must swap the two strapper wires from the normal two-way arrangement over when it switches.. :D

So in one mode:-

L1 at sw1 is joined to L1 at sw2 and

L2 at sw1 is joined to L2 at sw2

In the other mode:-

L1 at sw1 is joined to L2 at sw2 and

L2 at sw1 is joined to L1 at sw2

{the only other minor bit is the intermediate switch may not identified with L1's & L2's} ;)

Just to add with this arrangement you can put more intermediate switches at any other points along the stapper wiring to create..

four way, five way, six way... etc.. switching! :) :)

 
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