2way switching and intermediate conundrum

[egginyourface]

Good evening all

im in a bit of a pickle. I've wired 2way switching that controls 4 sets of lights from 4 different points. Basically 4g switch on each floor.

ive some how really confused myself. I'm having to change some of the modules as intermediate works out in different location for one of the lights.

I will take one switch as a example. The first switch arrangement over each floor is 2way-intermediate-2way-intermediate

Can a intermediate be the last switch? For some reason I've had it in my head that first and last should be a 2 way switch....

in the 7 years I've been in this game I've never had to so anything like this...


advice would be appreciated

 

[itselectric]

I think you need to give us a clue to what wires you have at each switch

 

[egginyourface]

It's been wired in 3 core + earth

 

[Silly Sausage]

I can't see why not (very possibly wrong! )
L & SL to 1st Intermediate, L1 & L2 off to the 1st 2 way, then 3 core to the other switches.

 

[Pete999]

2 way at beginning and end of the system intermediates in between

 

[mechelec]

2 way switch each end. Live in one common, switched live from other common. Strappers in L1 and L2. intermediates switch strappers only.

 

[telectrix]

that's how i've always don it, but you can wire the L and S/L into the strappers anywhere on the switching arrangement and it will still work.

 

[egginyourface]

Sorry for the silly question but just to make this clear, I've only ever done 2way > intermediate> 2way.

what happens when you have 2way>intermediate>2way>intermediate

do you just wire L1 and L2 strapper as normal and leave the common in connector block? I'm thinking about rigging up a four switches and see. I thought the first and last switch should be a 2 way switch

 

[micknew]

Must be 2 way switches at each end of the switching circuit.

 

[egginyourface]

So if you have 4 points that you want to switch 2ways how do you arrange the switches?

2way>intermediate>intermediate>2way??

 

[Sintra]

So if you have 4 points that you want to switch 2ways how do you arrange the switches?

2way>intermediate>intermediate>2way??

Thats the one

 

[egginyourface]

Ahhhhhhh, THanks

seems such a silly question but thought it was the other way around. Just couldn't get my head around it.

i was going to rig up a few switches and do a dead test.

 

[amlu]

draw a diagram on a piece of paper and simulate it by tracing what is live and when with a pencil ;-)

 

[Resu]

So if you have 4 points that you want to switch 2ways how do you arrange the switches?

2way>intermediate>intermediate>2way??

That's it and in theory there is no limit to the amount of intermediates you can have, so you could have 100!

 

[micknew]

That's it and in theory there is no limit to the amount of intermediates you can have, so you could have 100!

Or billions, fact.

 

[egginyourface]

Lol, you'd have to take voltage drop into consideration though

 

[Geordie Spark]

Ahhhhhhh, THanks

seems such a silly question but thought it was the other way around. Just couldn't get my head around it.

i was going to rig up a few switches and do a dead test.

I had a similar issue with not being able to get my head around it, so I had a little play about with the switches, some bits of wire, a multimeter, and a pencil & bit of paper on the kitchen table.

Sorted it!!

Then found some diagrams somewhere on here showing exactly how to do it. (courtesy of Tony I think)

 

[Richard Burns]

Just remember that if you are switching four gang switches for a lot of different locations there can be times when you find that you have an intermediate where you expected a two way, so wire the intermediate as a two way switch (just use only 3 of the terminals), this is more of a solution when not using grid switches and you have a twin intermediate switch but one of them needs to be 2 way.

Ha knew I had a pretty picture somewhere

 

[Knobhead]

I had a similar issue with not being able to get my head around it, so I had a little play about with the switches, some bits of wire, a multimeter, and a pencil & bit of paper on the kitchen table.

Sorted it!!

Then found some diagrams somewhere on here showing exactly how to do it. (courtesy of Tony I think)

I once had an argument with a Electrical Trainee on here about the number of intermediates that could be incorporated. I got very bored and very drunk by the time I’d copy and pasted 50 switches.

The number of switches is infinite, volt drop may be a bit of a problem though. Hence a question on the other channel.

 

[Silly Sausage]

a pencil & bit of paper

You missed out 'a bit of thinking' there.
Amazing what you can achieve with 3 simple things!