Smart light compatibility

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Matt2022, Jan 24, 2022.

  1. Matt2022

    Matt2022 New Member

    Hi all,
    Had a question regarding a light switch that I would like to change to a smart switch.
    So currently I have a 2 gang switch, each switch has a live (brown) cable in common and then blue (but also has brown sheath) in L1 and another blue in L2.

    Haven't been able to test anything yet, but presuming with the attached image I am looking at a 'without neutral wire' setup even though I have blue wire.
    Untitled-1.png DSC_0492.JPG

    Next question regarding the wiring, I was hoping to connect both lights in the room to one switch, should that be avoided as it would be connecting 2 live to the live in (understand this is ok if on the same circuit?)
    Not 100% sure how this needs wiring though, most switches seem to jump from common to common with individual switching wires. Can't be seen but there is earth, there are 2 2-core&earth cables coming into the switch housing.

    Any input is greatly appreciated, hopefully haven't missed anything relevant.
    Matt
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Bazza

    Bazza Screwfix Select

    On that switch, you have two switches for two separate lights.

    Each switch has a permanent live (the browns) and a switched live ( the blues with a brown sleeve).

    If you want to combine both lights to a single switch then you’ll still need both switched lives. As they are both on the same circuit, you only need one of the permanent lives.
    That leaves a spare brown wire. This is currently a permanent live. But you could rewire this at the ceiling rose and turn it into a neutral (sleeving the wire in blue). That would give you better smart switch options.
     
  3. adgjl

    adgjl Screwfix Select

    To be honest, it would make more sense swapping the cores, rather than sleeping the blue core brown and the brown core blue.
     
  4. Mr Rusty

    Mr Rusty Screwfix Select

    IMHO altering fixed wiring for smart switches should be done with caution - in a few years time everybody could be moving to houses with all sorts of "smart" switches but with little information as to what has been done, what switches they are, what they connect to, etc. - I'm guilty having a couple of samotech modules tucked away which appear as hue lights on the hue system.

    Think about leaving fixed wiring as is, and using smart bulbs. The hue system has battery operated wall switches/dimmers which you can stick up anywhere (ours for outside lights is stuck to the fridge with it's inbuilt magnet) and will control as many bulbs as you assign to it. Batteries last absolutely yonks too. The smart bulbs still operate normally from the fixed switches.
     
    Kingscurate likes this.
  5. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    It seems likely the two line supplies are from the same circuit, but simply looking at the wires no way of knowing, I know with my house a four gang switch by front door does have two independent supplies, as some one had used the wrong one with one switch that resulted in it taking out the RCBO for that circuit.

    Likely what @Bazza says is true, but @Mr Rusty makes a good point, I had 5 smart switches, note the 'had' now down to 2, and when they failed it was a lot harder going to flat under main house and turning off supply to swap back to normal switch, then simply swapping a bulb.
     
  6. Matt2022

    Matt2022 New Member

    thanks all for the comments, will take a look this weekend. Will just try without the neutral and see how it goes so I don't need to alter wiring for now.
     
  7. S....B.......

    S....B....... New Member

    The above may work ok if you only have 1 bulb attached. However if you have a row of led's the best is the switch.
     

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