outside light - fitting to two way switch Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[garydiy]

I have one light in kitchen which can be switched on/off from two different switches at either side of the room.

I wish to fit an outside light and wire it to the switch closest to the door (and change that switch from a single to a double) to allow this.

What is the best way to approach this?

Diagrams would be great.

Thanks

[ericmark]

Step one is testing. Normally there is no neutral in a light switch so normally method is to take the supply from the light. However with an outside light one does not want two cables going into the lamp. So either one uses the switch box as a junction box or fit a junction box somewhere handy.
Some outside lights have options like PIR or direct feed and it is a case of carefully reading the connection details in case some special switch is required.
Once every thing is planned you then go to the council and pay them their £100+ fee under Part P rules as both kitchen and outside work.
Then you do the work which will need testing. The test sets can be hired for around £75. You then submit the test results to the council and they decide if they want to visit and check your results.
So to DIY will cost £200 plus and likely you can get an electrician to do whole job for less than that. So is DIY really worth it?

[garydiy]

Thanks ericmark.

I did fit one previously which is wired on a plug to a 13 amp socket. Will probably opt for this rather than trying to add to a switch.