Two way switching plus intermediate

[La Poste]

Greetings.

I am pulling cables through a conduit system next door and have a question. The lights will be two way plus intermediate. I have attached a link to a diagram:

View attachment WiringDiagrams (1).pdf

The diagram picture number 3 shows "two wire switching plus intermediate two wire control", this would really help me.
It would be just right with the amount of space I have in my conduit.

However I wired a switch this way at college once and my lecturer said it was rubbish, no one would accept it and I must do it again wired as picture number 5 "two wire switching plus intermediate three wire control."

Is it OK to wire like picture 3 "Two-way switching plus intermediate 2 wire control" or is this a big No No.

I mean I can't see why not, if I haveto wire it as "three wire control" I would haveto terminate everything in the switch and really stuff the conduit with wires.

Comments would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[DurhamSparky]

do a job do it proberly!!

 

[La Poste]

Well what's properly?

Two wire control or three?

 

[johnboy6083]

the 2 wire method is absolutely fine mate, and i have wired a whole boiler in a power station that way.
The 3 wire method is better for domestic situations where you have no containment.

 

[La Poste]

No containment, what do you mean?

 

[topquark]

No containment, what do you mean?

Conduit, trunking etc

 

[johnboy6083]

well for the 2 wore method to work, it will probably require a single switch wire from the switch, to the fitting. This will not be able to bhe incorporated into a cable unless you have spare cores.

 

[La Poste]

Conduit, trunking etc

Well I have plenty of conduit.

I was thinking of using this job for my assessment, maybe the assessor will hate it.

well for the 2 wore method to work, it will probably require a single switch wire from the switch, to the fitting. This will not be able to bhe incorporated into a cable unless you have spare cores.

There will be no spare cores, it is all wired in singles.

The three wire control must be for when we use T and E cable not singles.

 

[johnboy6083]

exactly my point mate.

 

[micknew]

Get a qualified electrician in before you kill someone!

 

[topquark]

It's a horses for courses ... 3 wire domestic (probably) two wire if your doing stuff involving conduit (coz it's cheaper to run the two singles).

 

[La Poste]

Get a qualified electrician in before you kill someone!

No one's going to die

 

[topquark]

You'll also save yourself a connector on the intermediate if you do it using two wire

 

[La Poste]

You'll also save yourself a connector on the intermediate if you do it using two wire

It's loads easier, in this particular case it really is.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Get a qualified electrician in before you kill someone!

Crikey thats a bit harsh & conclusion jumping isn't it?

Sir, return your tankard!

 

[La Poste]

I mean I was taught at work to wire everything to the switch and terminate all the neutrals there but with singles you can terminate the neutrals anywhere.

What about junction boxes? They are OK to terminate into so taking this idea further it must be OK to terminate neutrals into connector blocks anywhere that is convenient so long as you don't cross neutrals, the same can also be said for CPC's, so long as the CPC is continuous why not make all your neutral and CPC terminations inside a light fitting for instance if that is the easiest place to do it or am I barking up the wrong tree?

As regards safety it is safer to not stuff conduit with additional and unnecessary wiring when you can slim the whole job down to half the wires.

I mean surely the golden rules are don't cross neutrals and maintain CPC continuity and that's it, the rest is up to me.

 

[Richard Burns]

I mean I was taught at work to wire everything to the switch and terminate all the neutrals there but with singles you can terminate the neutrals anywhere.

What about junction boxes? They are OK to terminate into so taking this idea further it must be OK to terminate neutrals into connector blocks anywhere that is convenient so long as you don't cross neutrals, the same can also be said for CPC's, so long as the CPC is continuous why not make all your neutral and CPC terminations inside a light fitting for instance if that is the easiest place to do it or am I barking up the wrong tree?

As regards safety it is safer to not stuff conduit with additional and unnecessary wiring when you can slim the whole job down to half the wires.

I mean surely the golden rules are don't cross neutrals and maintain CPC continuity and that's it, the rest is up to me.

Both methods of wiring are fine. If it is easier for you to wire the switching in 2-wire then there is no problem with this.
I quite like 2-wire switching but it is not always sensible to do depending on the physical layout.

Terminating in light fittings is standard and much better than using another junction box, so long as the connectors are appropriately enclosed by the fitting.

Get the electrical regs bit right and you are OK, the way you get it right does not matter.

 

[Short Circuit]

Get a qualified electrician in before you kill someone!

I think thats a bit harsh! La Poste is simply asking a question!

There is nothing wrong at all with the way he has suggested wiring it - and its the correct way for conduit or trunking systems

 

[Specialist]

Get a qualified electrician in before you kill someone!

Bit of an unusual response for members of this Forum, the guy was asking a simple question on something he could'nt get his head around. Is'nt that what were here for ? to help each other out.

 

[Knobhead]

Is'nt that what were here for ? to help each other out.

There’s times when I wonder.