# Forum Home Renovation Lighting  2-way light switching

## Whitey66

Just wondering as a matter of interest how most sparkies wire up 2-way light switching?
Do you cross your straps ie. 2-1 and 1-2 or go 1-1 and 2-2 ?
I personally think 2-1 and 1-2 is best because when both switches are off,the light will be off.
The reason I can think of for doing this is when the owner of the house goes to change a light bulb,they can be sure the power is off.
Could be dangerous the other way if a bulb broke off in the socket leaving the live circuit exposed to be touched when trying to remove the broken part from the light socket.
Thoughts or comments ?????

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## Bruiser

I like your approach - both switches off and the light is off.  I once picked an installation for this and was greeted first by confused look, then with the news that there's no requirement for it.  So now I specify it.  Unless there's 3 switches, in which case it gets impossible.

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## Whitey66

> I like your approach - both switches off and the light is off.  I once picked an installation for this and was greeted first by confused look, then with the news that there's no requirement for it.  So now I specify it.  Unless there's 3 switches, in which case it gets impossible.

  You probably know more than me about it but why can't you fit an intermediate switch so when it's in the off position it mimics the 2-1 and 1-2 circuit?
The circuit i've tried to draw  below is showing the first and second switches of 2 way switching,both in position 2 (in off position) and the intermediate switch in the middle at position 1 (on).
So the light would be on in this situation --- 1st switch off,2nd switch off,intermediate switch on.
Now if you switch the intermediate to position 2 (off) 1-4 and 2-3 contacts of intermediate switch will be made and light will be off. 
There may be some flaws in my thinking,please let me know if there are. 
 Edit:Just try to ignore all the fullstops and incorrect spacing,I had to put them in to control the spacing as the program kept condensing it.It was perfect on my screen before I submitted it initially.   ...........First..................................  ......................Intermediate................  .............................................Secon  d 
...........Switch ..................................................  ..Switch..........................................  ............................Switch 
..............................pos 2...........................1........... pos1..............3...............................  pos 2
..............................o----------------------------------o-----------------------------------o------------------------------o    
............................/ ..................................................  ..................................................  .....\   
........................../..................................................  ..................................................  .........\
......................../..................................................  ..................................................  ............\
...........com----o ..................................................  ..................................................  ..............o-------------com ----> to lights   
.............................pos 1......................2..........................  ................4...............................po  s 1
...............................o---------------------------o------------------------------------------o---------------------------o

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## Dewy7777

I never really look at how I'm connecting the straps, and I'm sure most other sparkys don't either, even if you connect it so both switches off means light is off, both switches on will also mean light is off, You should never rely on switch position to prove a cable is dead, testing is the only true way to know. 
Dewy

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## BRADFORD

> I never really look at how I'm connecting the straps, and I'm sure most other sparkys don't either, even if you connect it so both switches off means light is off, both switches on will also mean light is off, You should never rely on switch position to prove a cable is dead, testing is the only true way to know. 
> Dewy

  I agree

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## Whitey66

> I never really look at how I'm connecting the straps, and I'm sure most other sparkys don't either, even if you connect it so both switches off means light is off, both switches on will also mean light is off, You should never rely on switch position to prove a cable is dead, testing is the only true way to know. 
> Dewy

  Yeah but my point is that most people don't call in a sparky to change a light bulb do they?
How exactly is the home owner going to check if the circuit is dead?
However most people know that you should turn off the light switch before attempting to change a bulb.
The fact that when both light switches are on when the light is off doesn't create a safety issue at all.

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## oldtrack123

> Yeah but my point is that most people don't call in a sparky to change a light bulb do they?
> Most people also know that you should turn off the light switch before attempting to change a bulb.
> The fact that when both light switches are on when the light is off doesn't create a safety issue at all.

  
Hi
Aaaaaah yes 
BUT with the bulb blown,how do they KNOW when it is"OFF"
The Switch positions does not tell you :Biggrin: 
They can be wired so BOTH switches must be in the same position for the light to be on which was the OPs point
That means the light will be "ON" when both switches are either "ON" OR "OFF" :Smilie:  
PeterQ

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## Whitey66

> Hi
> Aaaaaah yes 
> BUT with the bulb blown,how do they KNOW when it is"OFF"
> The Switch positions does not tell you
> They can be wired so BOTH switches must be in the same position for the light to be on which was the OPs point
> That means the light will be "ON" when both switches are either "ON" OR "OFF" 
> PeterQ

  Huh,I don't get your post at all,I was the OP??
My point was that I think it is much safer when both switches are off,the light is off.
The reason for this was because when the bulb was blown they would have no way of telling if the circuit was live or not.

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## Bros

> Huh,I don't get your post at all,I was the OP??
> My point was that I think it is much safer when both switches are off,the light is off.
> The reason for this was because when the bulb was blown they would have no way of telling if the circuit was live or not.

  Your post was a good one as I never bothered to look at how the switches ended up. My wife wingers and complains about the two way switches in our house as she is used to switches being in one position for on and one for off. 
Funny I actually like the switch to be off when replacing a lamp as many years ago I had to replace a lot of lights in a cold room and I got a box of lamps from the store but never looked at them and it wasn't possible to turn them off as you then couldn't see. Didn't I get a surprise when I changed the lamp as the lamps was 32V. Storemen never cared about apprentices then. 
Now I always make sure the lamp is off.

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