Changing a one way light switch to a two way light switch - Kitchen/Dining Area

James 007

Switch 1 (cannot see this from the photo)

Infeed from consumer unit - Old live feed (no neutral) from 10amp MCB

Outfeed - live (brown) and switch live (blue) to light

Switch 2 (can see the wago for both the live and switch live)

New infeed from consumer unit - New live feed and neutral from the same 10amp MCB as above

Outfeed - There are 2 new out feeds planned

1. Three leds that light up together when switch 2 is switched on/off
2. One light that will be connected to a sensor that will detect movement & switch the light on

Switch 1 works fine as existing wire setup etc. Powers on and off etc.

Switch 2, when I test both outfeeds using the multimeter I am getting 227 volts approx. across live/neutral for each which is what I would expect. However when I flick the switch to the off position it trips out the MCB.

Questions:

1. Should I just use the one live feed from the 10 amp MCB & use a bridge live wire from COMS L1 Switch 1 to L1 Switch 2, are the 2 seperate feeds from the consumer unit to the switch causing an overload.
2. Using Wago's are there any tips to wire it correctly

kirk.

Can't follow your post there

You can add a 2-way switch to a 1 way using a quinetic switch , no wiring needed

James 007

Thanks Kirk, I would nearly prefer to try & work with what I have to see if I can resolve it.

The attached sketch generally shows what I have currently set up with & should be a bit clearer, red marks 'live' and blue marks 'neutral/switch live'

James 007

Okay, I have figured the wiring out now & corrected it from the previous schematic.

Switch 1 - Operates fine

Switch 2, when switched on both outfeeds read 115 Volts approx. each

Switch 2, when switched off, one outfeed reads 0 Volts (for the 3 leds) and the other outfeed reads 227 Volts (for motion sensor and light). This is what I would expect as the sensor is on a permanent live.

So it now comes to the sensor, how to wire it correctly, 3 connections are in use & labelled as 'N', 'Live In' and 'Live Out'

'Live In-Out all fine, I have tried to put both neutrals into the first connector however the MCB trips. Also tried only the neutral coming from consumer unit, again the MCB tripping, so any advise how to correctly wire this sensor

James 007

Any experts out there, I am trying to get a PIR sensor working.

In order to do this I have simplified the work temporarily as follows:

Supply In - Live from MCB in consumer unit connected to the PIR Sensor into the brown cable shown in the photo, 'Live In'

Supply In - Neutral from the neutral bar in consumer unit connected to the PIR Sensor into the blue cable shown in the photo, 'Neutral'

Supply Out - Brown wire connected to the PIR Sensor into the connector block where the 'black' wire is located

Supply Out - Blue wire connected to the PIR Sensor into the blue cable shown in the photo, 'Neutral'

The supply out brown/blue feeds to a 15 watt 24 volt driver: ANSELL 15 WATT 24 VOLT CONSTANT VOLTAGE LED DRIVER - Eurosales

Outfeed wire from driver connects to a two-pin connector and then to the 24 volt LED strip (brown to +, blue to - )

When I push up the MCB, the 2nd main breaker trips (no spark)

What am I doing wrong here, anyone?

ted1

Save the hassle and get a smart bulb

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121329232#Comment_121329232

Looks like you have live connected to earth in the last terminal

and you don’t bring neutral to the switch. The switch only switches live.

James 007

Ignore the photo & my older threads with the diagram. There is no earth to the PIR Sensor. My last thread explains how I currently have it wired up

The best way I can describe the wiring is similar to the photo below (except I have an LED Driver followed with an LED strip) but I can't seem to get it to work

whizbang

In your diagram and the first pics, you have the neutral connected to L1 of Switch 2,so its immediatly shorting Live to Neutral when switched. Remove the Neutral from the switch.

Meter should read 230v on only one of L1/L2 depending on the switch position. Ignore any reading thats not 230v on a multimeter, it picks up electrical noise from even unconnected wires.

You probably killed the switch by having the full trip current across it.

Also, Try to use different colour wires from the Driver to LEDs.

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339641#Comment_121339641

The explanation is awful.

In this still from the switches above ? Don’t switch the earths

a switch should have a live and a switched live

connect live and neutral the black wire is the switched live from the PIR and goes to the light. With a neutral on the other side

James 007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339805#Comment_121339805

Magnum,

I have removed & eliminated the light switch for now.

I have joined all the blues in a 5no. Wago block & joined all the browns in a 5no. Wago block.

I have switched off all MCBs to sockets & other lights for now.

I put on the main power MCB & the 2nd main power MCB (not sure why there is two of these)

Then when I flick this one MCB for the lights, the 2nd main power MCB trips

This 2nd main power MCB works as I have just flicked it back up checking it by powering on the socket MCBs only

The 10 amp MCB for the lights also works as the existing outfeed still turns on the lights (when the two new outfeeds blue/brown are removed from the Wago blocks)

I have tried to put each of the new outfeeds into the Wago block one at a time but they both seem to trip the MCB.

ted1

seperate the blues and test the continuity between the lives and each one of the neutrals.

and call someone who knows what they are doing

James 007

Ok,

Test 1 - Tested the PIR Sensor with driver & LED connected directly to consumer unit with 2m T&E & it works ok, so all good.

Before the tests below, as Magnum pointed out, I have hooked all browns to one wago & all neutrals to another wago

Next Test 2 - Put on mains power 2no. MCBs & flicked on light MCB. Checked continuity to my two new supply lines live to neutral & both read 226Volts. This means I have good continuity at both live & neutral connections at consumer unit & through the wago connections

Next Test 3 - Hooked up driver & LED to new supply line 1, one mains power MCB trips, light remains on to LED, checked continuity live to neutral to new supply line 1, it reads 120Volts, checked bare wires to new supply line 2 it reads 120 Volts

Next Test 4 - Revere situation to the above, hooked up driver & LED to new supply line 2, one mains power MCB trips, light remains on to LED, checked continuity live to neutral to new supply line 2, it reads 120 Volts, checked bare wires to new supply line 1 it reads 120 Volts

Next Test 5 - Hooked up driver & LED to another existing light supply line, no tripping of any MCBs, all works fine

So what is causing the tripping to the 63 amp GARO MCB below?

ted1

Test 2 is not how you test continuity

pit it on the buzzer if they buzz they are connected, which you don’t want

You need a RECI

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121344651#Comment_121344651

Is that 2-wires into top of main switch on bottom left

James 007

No kirk,

I tested the PIR Sensor using only a 2m T&E cable connected to consumer unit. It works fine in this case as per the photo below (both PIR Sensor and LED). Placed my hand over the sensor & LED light comes on as it should. I don't have any photo where I connected it in.

I can't understand when I check my installed new supplies live & neutral bare wires I obtain a reading of 226 volts

When I connect the below PIR Sensor, Driver & LED to one of my main new T&E supply lines, the 63amp GARO RCD trips, the light MCB does not trip and the LED flashes on then off then on again etc.