Wiring for outside lights

[bristol]

Hi there
First post so be gentle with me!
Our modern house has two external lights - one by the front door, the other by the garage.
The light by the front door is controlled by a switch in the hall, which the previous owner replaced with a central heaing control, simply so he could use the timer.
I have taken this off, and see two cables, each with red live wires, black neutral and yellow/green earth which are fixed in the earth terminal of the box.
I bought a 6AX intermediate switch (maybe wrongly) and wired up per diagrams - each red and black cable in individual holes (L1-L4)
Having done that the outside light is on permanently.
I didn't know at the time, but I beleive that the two sets of wires relate to each outside light, as I noticed the sensor controlled garage light came on at the same time.
Any thoughts please? - have I perhaps bought the wrong lightswitch?
The controller I removed had the 2 neutrals together but the lights tripped when I tried that.

[chriscba]

The 2 lights are proberly wired in series, & you have got the wrong switch, you proberly need a 1 gang, 1 way switch, the 2 blacks most proberly are neutrals, connect into a block, not in to switch, the 2 reds live feed in & feed out, connect one to top connection & other to bottom, green/yellow earth (cpc) connect to metal box, if not, put in own block.

If the light swich is working upsidedown, swap red wires, or just turn switch around.

[bristol]

Chris

Many thanks -top man - simply needed to put the neutrals together in a block instead of in the switch.
I have used the same switch though for the two live wires and it all seems to be working fine.
Any safety reasons why I shouldn't keep using the intermediate switch ?
Once again, thanks!

[chriscba]

Its perfectly safe to use that switch, it is meant to go in the middle of two way lighting, eg. in the middle of a flight of stairs.

[bristol]

Thanks mate