Trying to Wire in a new Light and Switch in Hallway and Cupboard
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Mr.Smith123
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Trying to Wire in a new Light and Switch in Hallway and Cupboard

by Mr.Smith123 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:26 pm

I'm a real novice and really need to help with this project.

I have a a lamp holder in my loft and a switch in the wall for it.
I would like to add another switch and another lamp holder in the hallway cupboard.

I've unscrewed the loft light switch. Inside are a black and a red wire and an earth. The black wire has been sheafed in red red. The red wire is going to the common and the back is L1. (Switched live I presume)

I have some 1.5mm cable in my shed. It has two brown wires and and earth.

I have taken a small piece of cable and connected one of the brown wires to the common on the loft light switch and connected te other end of the brown wire to the feed 1 on the new intended hall light switch. The other brown wire is not currently connected to anything since I'm not sure what to do with it....

I have connect a second piece of cable from the hall light switch to the lamp holder via one brown cable which i have taken from the load 1 live terminal. The other end of the cable is connected to the L terminal block in the lamp holder, The lamp fitting's brown wire is also wired into this same block.
The other brown wire in the cable is not currently wired into anyting.

Here's the thing: when the new hall switch is turned off only the feed has power. (As i assume should be te case) BUT when I turn on the hall light switch not only does the load 1 live terminal have power but the other brown wire that is not connect ot anything is als live. How is this possible?

kbrownie
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Re: Trying to Wire in a new Light and Switch in Hallway and Cupboard

by kbrownie » Mon Sep 18, 2017 12:42 pm

What are you testing voltage with? If non-contact pen/stick or neon screwdriver tester, you are very likely getting misleading results.

If you wish to add another gang/switch to operate an additional light, you do require a neutral. Which by what you have said, does not seem to be present.

BLAKEY1963
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Re: Trying to Wire in a new Light and Switch in Hallway and Cupboard

by BLAKEY1963 » Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:02 pm

Mr Smith 123

I would agree, with Kbrownie that you seem not to have located a neutral.

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