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I want to fit a two wall lights which are independently controlled through a 3 gang light switch which also controls the main room light.
Do I simply cut the main feed to the main room light, insert a junction box and the run two feeds from this box to two other junction boxes with the wires from these then going to the lights and back to the switches? Is there a better way of doing it?
[i]Is there a better way of doing it? [/i]
Get an Electrician?
What you propose would have all three lights coming on at once surely
Its impossible to advise over the internet really as your house could be wired in many ways ( by the book) and many other ways if bodged over the years.
I know how id do it in my house but i was present and working during the rewire so know whats doing what
I thought that having a 3 gang light switch (3 switches) would give independent control of each light.
As i said depends how your house is wired.
Modern or old...
http://www.flameport.com/electric/lighting_circuits/lighting_ceiling_rose_looped.cs4
there's a fair bit of info on here.
If the connections are at the ceiling rose its pretty straight forward. You should have a permanent live into the rose, connected to another going out to the next light. You should also have a wire from the permanent live to the wall switch, and then a switched live wire back to the ceiling rose (the light will be connected to this). You could insert a junction box into either the "live in" or "live out", run this to the first wall light and wire a rose in there - to switch etc. And then run second cable from first rose to second light and wire another rose in there.
You need to find where the live/neutral is, usually at the rose, sometimes at the switch and now and again hidden in a jb somewhere.
Take a l/n from there to wall light 1 then onto wall light 2.
Run a switch wire from each wall light to switch.
At light 1 you'll have live in/out and switch wire. Three browns together/switch wire return(blue) to live of lamp and neutral of lamp to remaining 2 blues.
Lamp 2 - live in and switch wire, same as 1 but 2 browns/ 1 blue.
Make sure if there metal the earth is ok.
What you suggest in your first post will work.
Perfectly acceptable as well to run the live directly to switch, then loop out to lights with no switch wire at all if that makes things easier.
"Get an electrician" or "get a plumber" advice on this place is really unhelpful. Most of this stuff is common sense and the most dangerous things I've seen have been installed by qualified so-called electricians and plumbers.
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This is what I found in my new build house, compliant (apparently!) with Part P and Building Regs. These are the people the more sanctimonious STW commenters would have you use.
These are the people the more sanctimonious STW commenters would have you use.
Rather a sweeping statement on the electrical installation industry.
Thanks for the advice. It's a pretty old house and the ceilings need to come down so I guess I'll see what the current wiring looks like then.
Flaperon -that looks a bit like spaghetti junction!
Naw flaperon , they are the people your cost cutting house builder used.