Electricity double gang switch

[ShiftZZ]

In my home garage, there is a light switch, damaged before I moved in.

So I have decided to replace it and add another switch so that I can have some extra lights on a separate switch..

The following is what I think I should do, and connect the neutral and earth from the new cable..

Or am I wrong...

Thanks

 

[xsparks]

Assuming the common is the feed, you need to link the feed to the terminal marked common and then take the new switch line from one of the other terminals. Are you sure the black cables are neutrals and not switch lines?

 

[chrisgreen]

Oh dear!

 

[xsparks]

Normally since a cable comes with one red core and one black usually the red is the live feed and the black which should be sleeved red or now Brown is the switch line to the light.

 

[ShiftZZ]

It originally was just a single switch

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[xsparks]

In this case the black is probably the neutral. So if you link as I suggested and connect the blacks together all should be good

 

[Sandancers]

If it is wired conventionally, you should only have a live feed to the switch from a junction box and then the switched live back out to the light, again via a junction box (which can be the ceiling rose in a house).

Your first photo won't work for what you want to do.

Your second photo seems to show one wire bringing the live in and another cable taking the switched live out. The two blacks could be being used as the neutral, or they could be not connected at the other ends, you'd have to check that.

 

[xsparks]

Not wishing to confuse the matter but the original switch is single gang one way switch. The switch you wish to replace it with is a double gang two way. As used on stairs etc.

 

[63720]

In a lighting circuit normally there is no Neutral at the switch these go to the fitting. You normally only have either Live or switched Live. Normally at multiple switches the lives come from different sources or fittings.

 

[Odd-no-more]

New cable black (blue) =neutral, earth =earth, red (brown) to new lamp from the "top" connection on the first picture DO NOT link as the picture, link from common to common. Good luck and don't blame me if it blows up

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[DavidG58]

Good example of why we should employ professionals for such work

reminds me of me changing a light fitting late in the day many years ago, finding red wires connected to black I thought I would put it back together ‘properly’

no lighting in house for two days till I found an electrician happy to take on my bodge

 

[Stealaway]

That would all work -- you could have the second switch upside down depending on which terminal you use across the bottom two

 

[Vipar]

Now you know why I can’t do electrickery
Can someone draw him a diagram or he might blow himself up. Like what I does

 

[Gellyneck]

Might it be easier just to take an additional cable from the light fitting \ ceiling rose to the additional light fitting \ ceiling rose and use a single switch? The only downside is all the lights would come on together.

 

[autorouter]

When the light is switched off, one of the red wires will be live, and the other one won't be live. You should test which one it is. If you can't do that, you should find someone who can.

The live one is the incoming feed. You should do a link from the live feed to the COM terminal of the second switch. Then wire the red of the second lamp to one of the other terminals of the second switch. If there's a neutral wire to the second lamp, connect it to the other two (black) neutral wires.

When you refit the switch, if the second lamp switches the opposite way to what you want, move the red of the second lamp to the other vacant terminal.

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[autorouter]

In a lighting circuit normally there is no Neutral at the switch these go to the fitting.

It's more usual nowadays, it's needed for dimmer switches and/or remote control switches.

 

[RandallC]

Make sure circuits are dead before getting your fingers in there. If you need further help PM and we'll go from there.

Not sure these days how you come out of offering advice in a general forum, That:
is in breach of the regs (electrical works like Gas MUST be undertaken by Authorised competent persons)
Blame & sue culture if somebody suffers injury as a result

 

[Sandancers]

Make sure circuits are dead before getting your fingers in there. If you need further help PM and we'll go from there.

Not sure these days how you come out of offering advice in a general forum, That:
is in breach of the regs (electrical works like Gas MUST be undertaken by Authorised competent persons)
Blame & sue culture if somebody suffers injury as a result

I understood it was only the areas of the house covered by PartP where you needed to have the appropriate qualifications.