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Looping lighting feeds at switches

Baldyhugh

Hi

I have seen different methods of doing this. The neutrals are joined in a connector block in the switch box and the same for the earths. However one some occasions I have seen the live feeds into the switch and the live feed out to the next switch looped at the switch terminals. On other occasions I have seen the aforementioned live feeds joined in a connector block in the switch box and a single wire from this to the switch terminal. Both have the same outcome but the latter is unnecessary and adds another connector block to an already crowded switch box. The switch terminals are usually 10a rated anyway so joining at the switch terminals should be ok in my opinion. What is your method of choice?

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    ebee: 
     

    Well if the break before make time is sufficient then yes it would work. Never considered doing this meeself though

    It is indeed important that the light switch is “break before make” but I have never seen one that is not. The TIME between breaking and making is not important.

    I have wired lights like this to prevent flickering of CFL or LED lamps when turned off. 

    There is a rather dodgy way of wiring two way light switches that has been prohibited for decades, but may still be encountered. At each of the two switch positions, neutral is connected to either L1 or L2 and live is connected to other terminal. The lamp is connected between the two common terminals. 

    Works fine but is potentialy dangerous since when the lamp is turned off there is a 50% chance that both sides of the lamp are live at line voltage.

    Popular for outdoor lights that are to be switched from the house and from an outbuilding. Saves cable since live and neutral are already both present at both switch locations, and only ONE extra wire is needed.

    Also popular in Europe where combined lighting and socket outlet circuits are common. Again it saves on material. Live and neutral are likely already present at each switch location for an adjacent socket outlet.  Only two lengths of SINGLE wire are needed to add a light with switch control from two locations.

    The entertainment value may be increased if the two light switches are on different circuits, preferably belonging to different customers in say a large house that has been divided into flats.

     

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  • 0

    ebee: 
     

    Well if the break before make time is sufficient then yes it would work. Never considered doing this meeself though

    It is indeed important that the light switch is “break before make” but I have never seen one that is not. The TIME between breaking and making is not important.

    I have wired lights like this to prevent flickering of CFL or LED lamps when turned off. 

    There is a rather dodgy way of wiring two way light switches that has been prohibited for decades, but may still be encountered. At each of the two switch positions, neutral is connected to either L1 or L2 and live is connected to other terminal. The lamp is connected between the two common terminals. 

    Works fine but is potentialy dangerous since when the lamp is turned off there is a 50% chance that both sides of the lamp are live at line voltage.

    Popular for outdoor lights that are to be switched from the house and from an outbuilding. Saves cable since live and neutral are already both present at both switch locations, and only ONE extra wire is needed.

    Also popular in Europe where combined lighting and socket outlet circuits are common. Again it saves on material. Live and neutral are likely already present at each switch location for an adjacent socket outlet.  Only two lengths of SINGLE wire are needed to add a light with switch control from two locations.

    The entertainment value may be increased if the two light switches are on different circuits, preferably belonging to different customers in say a large house that has been divided into flats.

     

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