I have 2 outside lights and I want to be able to switch on both at the same time by means of either switch. Switches are waterproof. I have it wired up at present, but lights are very dim. If I remove one switch from the circuit, lights are normal brightness. Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

David J, December 2009

If you do not know what you are doing then get an electrician in before you qualify for a Darwin award - or kill someone else.

JohnK, December 2009

Yes - you have wired up the lights in series rather than in parallel - each lamp will be getting half the available voltage rather than all of it - you can test for this by removing one lamp and seeing the other one not work.

Permanent Live is taken to a switch Com connection.

This switch (1) has a cable connecting L1 & L2 to L1 & L2 of the other switch (2) - it does not matter if these wires are crossed over.

The Com connection of Switch (2) is now switched live which should be routed to both lights - either looped light to light (daisy chain) or on individual cables (fan).

Each lamp will now be presented with the full voltage of switched live from the Com terminal of Switch (2).

EACH Lamp will need a neutral return path for it to work - either daisy chained (looped lamp to lamp) or fanned (two wires).

Operating either switch 1 or 2 will turn the lights on and off.

Go to this link...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiway_switching

The drawings shown in Red & Black give a simple picture - do not be confused by the colours - they use Red to show a wire with a current path and Black to show the same wire with NO path - it does NOT show Live & Neutral. The text "3-way" is an American description just meaning three treminals - the switches shown are actually Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT).

Neutral does NOT connect to either of the switches - you will need to get neutral connected properly and this may be an issue for you.

If this is all too much - call an electrician in and be safe... They need the work...

Good luck...

Peccavi, December 2009