Wiring diagram help needed

[shocksl]

Hey guys

I'm going back into college and I have had some time off and behind work.

I just can't get my head around this.

1 gang 2 way plate switch and intermediate plate.

Can someone help me with how I would wire this circuit with an intermediary switch. ( using a triple core and E cable for the intermediary cable.)

Or can someone send me a good yotube vid showing me this . So I can do this for my college on the board??

Thank you8

 

[westward10]

We aren't going to give you answers but we will advise if you give it a go first.

 

[littlespark]

Just think of how an intermediate works.
It’s a changeover switch.

For example, if you have terminals 1 and 2 at the top, 3 and 4 at the bottom.
With the switch in one position, 1 is linked to 3 through the switch, and 2 is linked to 4.
With the switch in the other position, 1 and 4 are linked, 2 and 3 are linked.

 

[shocksl]

We aren't going to give you answers but we will advise if you give it a go first.

Lol your right.

I honestly was thrown off with this intermediary switch.

I've had a go. But dont know how to connect it to other switches.

 

[littlespark]

Simplify your diagram first.

Do a two way circuit with just one light.
Then add a second light.
Then add the intermediate.

 

[7029 dave]

Think of your strappers as a metallic path from you first 2 way switch to the other, the intermediate in the middle or as many as needed, your common wire has to be a dedicated wire from end to end.
Just a few pointers now have a go and draw it up.

 

[westward10]

Ignore the cpcs, do you not have a ruler?

 

[westward10]

The switches on your second "drawing" are not two way switches.

 

[James]

This may help you to understand it and visualise it.
firstly do not draw the neutral or earth wires, as said before, it only complicates the diagram.

if you think about it, the N wires are simple, they need to go to every light fitting.
the earth wires (CPC) need to go to all points (switches and lights)

take a blank sheet of paper, draw a line down the left hand side and mark it L or Live
on the right hand side draw a lamp (or light)
if you want to be pedantic, on the right hand side draw a line down the page and mark it N or neutral but it is not really required.

now you need to figure out a path for the live to get from the left hand side of the paper to the lamp on the right.

first do a single switch but use a 2 way switch and leave the spare switch contact unused.

next try to imagine that you have a mirror image of the 2 way switch and put that between the first switch and the lamp.

figure out how you could connect them to give you a way to change the light from on to off or vice versa .

when you have figured that out, the intermediate switch is easy, it Simpley goes between the 2 original switches.

some people to begin with find it useful to imagine switches as valves for the flow of water or points on a railway, either way you are just trying to visualise the flow of electricity through the system.

don't get disheartened, what seems complicated at the moment will become obvious in no time at all.
i will sketch a couple of things for you in a minute if i get time and add them to the post.

 

[James]

I have completed this one as an example

 

[James]

 

[James]

when you have filled in the lines for ex 2
see if you can figure where this intermediate switch may fit in so that when you change it the light changes from on to off or vice versa.
once you have your head round this, the most complicated part of domestic lighting is sorted.
everything from there onwards is easy, hmm well easy(ish)

 

[7029 dave]

The OP is specifically asking using 3 core and earth for the switching

 

[7029 dave]

see diagram fig...............................

 

[James]

The OP is specifically asking using 3 core and earth for the switching

that is a very good point. but i am trying to help the op understand how this works, not do it for them.
I find the diagram attached to your post difficult to understand as a seasoned spark, it doesn't show what cable is the live in or feed out to the light and is unnecessarily complex for the task in hand.
you only need 2 core and earth for 2 way switching even if it requires an intermediate switch.
if you decide to use 3 core then the extra core can be used for any purpose.
i.e. as a N conductor
or as a way of taking the switched live back to the beginning of the circuit which may be the first light fitting (ignoring the feed from breaker to first light)

 

[7029 dave]

That diagram is the most practical way using 3core and earth between all switches and the most common way in domestic.
Admit it does not give the whole circuit diagram, just the actual wiring between all switches with 3 core and earth, I am only trying to help the OP with his question too.

 

[nicebutdim]

One thing I'll add for the OP's benefit is that understanding how something is wired from a diagram and understanding why it is wired that way are very different propositions and an issue which has troubled every single electrician at one point in their career - in fact some never grasp the principle and insist there is only one way to wire a two way lighting circuit.

Whether it is a task set as part of learning or a real life situation faced in the course of your work, if you don't understand it draw it out and follow the live path to see how it works (or won't work in some instances). This is probably the quickest way to gain understanding of circuits and one day it will stick without you ever realising.

 

[littlespark]

That’s an old diagram Dave…. Pre harmonisation.

Replace red yellow blue with brown black grey.

 

[7029 dave]

That’s an old diagram Dave…. Pre harmonisation.

Replace red yellow blue with brown black grey.

Lol does that really matter should all be sleeved red as per diagram or brown new colours the principal is the same.

 

[FatAlan]

Look up the great John Ward (JW) on YouTube. Seem to remember that he covers it very well. Some of the old GSH electrical videos are good too.