Out Door Light

[stelang]

Hi, my first problem as i am new to this forum site { hello all } ... I have just fixed a outside wall light and wired it up with a new 2 way switch using the existing wires that work the Hall light , now when i turn the outside light on the Hall light goes very dull .Any ideas.. Thanks

 

[Bruspark]

You've not said enough to really let us help you and you should be in the DIY forum.  However . . .

I'm going to bet the "existing wires that work the hall light" are actually a Twin+Earth switch wire drop... that is the wires to and from a switch connected in series with the hall light bulb with NO neutral present at the switch (even if one wire IS mainly black/blue). 

Using the two switch wires as a power source puts the new switch and the new light (when outdoor switch is on) in series with the existing hall light bulb when hall switch is off.  Both will light dimly if similar lamp types used.       I imagine turning the hall light on puts the outside light off ?

 

[batty]

Welcome to the forum. When you say you have connected it up to the switch in the hall how has this been done. Is there a neutral connection in the switch? We are not mind readers so cannot tell what you have done. Quite honestly I would suggest you either get a decent DIY book so you can understand the theory, or perhaps consider using an electrician so the job can be done safely and also so it works.  

 

[stelang]

Thanks all , i will get a professional in . Sorry to have bothered you, just thought it would be straight forward... How wrong was i ........... 

 

[Andy™]

.

 

[binky]

alright Andy calm down, I think Stelang has just discovered that having a cable isn't the same thing as having a suitable point to connect into, and perhaps electricians do have some talents.

Bit hard to give a good answer without more detail, or ideally a few pictures

 

[ProDave]

I'll try and explain what has probably happened.

you have found a "cable" with a red and a black connecting to a light switch and assumed it was a live feed. but unfortunately it's not.

In all  probability the red is the live feed and the black is the switched live out to feed the existing light.

If you have connected to that thinking it's a live and neutral then you will get exactly what you have.

You need to find a correct live and neutral feed.  For lighting circuits wired like this (and there are at least 3 perfectly correct ways of wiring lighting circuits) you will either need to pick up your L&N feed at the light fitting, or it might be at one great big junction box somewhere under a floor board or in the loft.

Probably the best compromise is to have your new light wired with it's switch ready and get a qualified electrician to come and identify a suitable point to feed it from, connect it and test it for you.

It may sound harsh, but sometimes being told "get an electrician in" is the kindest advice, as unfortunately you only have a little understanding of what you are doing and don't have the knowledge or equipment to work out why it does not work as expected. That also probably means you don't have the knowledge to ensure it's safe, even if it happened to work.

 

[kme]

Bloody hell guys

That was a bit un called for, don`t you think??

I thought we were the "friendly" forum?  Doesn`t look particularly friendly there.

:coat