Hi All,

I am wiring up an MK outside light switch. The switch itself is a 2 way switch but I only need one way. I tested it with my multi meter and it wasn't working. After a bit of trouble shooting, it transpires that with the switch up what would appear to be the right way (the writing on the back is the right way up), when the switch is off I get continuity between com and the '1 way' terminal and no continuity between com and '2 way'. When I turn the switch on I get the opposite result. This would imply I should connect across com and '2 way ' for a 1 way switch ?

Same is true for the second switch I have.

I suspect I am being dozy here. Any thoughts.

Many thanks

Lee.

In article <1924a1bfcd25f82ff3b3000e125566e2@www.novabbs.com>, leenowell
<leenowell@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi All,

> I am wiring up an MK outside light switch. The switch itself is a 2 way
> switch but I only need one way. I tested it with my multi meter and it
> wasn't working. After a bit of trouble shooting, it transpires that with
> the switch up what would appear to be the right way (the writing on the
> back is the right way up), when the switch is off I get continuity
> between com and the '1 way' terminal and no continuity between com and '2
> way'. When I turn the switch on I get the opposite result. This would
> imply I should connect across com and '2 way ' for a 1 way switch ?

> Same is true for the second switch I have.

> I suspect I am being dozy here. Any thoughts.

It all depends on how you want the switch configured. To some people Up is
ON to others - the opposite. So Com to whichever suits you.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4té²
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On Sun, 14 Apr 2024 13:05:58 +0000, leenowell wrote:
> I am wiring up an MK outside light switch. The switch itself is a 2 way
> switch but I only need one way. I tested it with my multi meter and it
> wasn't working. After a bit of trouble shooting, it transpires that with
> the switch up what would appear to be the right way (the writing on the
> back is the right way up), when the switch is off I get continuity
> between com and the '1 way' terminal and no continuity between com and
> '2 way'. When I turn the switch on I get the opposite result. This would
> imply I should connect across com and '2 way ' for a 1 way switch ?

A 2-way switch doesn't have "off" and "on" - it effectively has two
different kinds of "on".
You need to connect "COM" and either of the other terminals. If this makes
the switch work "backwards" from what you want, either turn the switch the
other way up or use the other terminal (but not both, as that puts you
back where you started).
I wouldn't assume the writing on the back is significant - I've had
accessories that can clearly only go one way up where that puts the
writing upside-down, or even sideways.

Mike

On 14/04/2024 16:08, charles wrote:
> In article <1924a1bfcd25f82ff3b3000e125566e2@www.novabbs.com>, leenowell
> <leenowell@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>> Hi All,
>
>> I am wiring up an MK outside light switch. The switch itself is a 2 way
>> switch but I only need one way. I tested it with my multi meter and it
>> wasn't working. After a bit of trouble shooting, it transpires that with
>> the switch up what would appear to be the right way (the writing on the
>> back is the right way up), when the switch is off I get continuity
>> between com and the '1 way' terminal and no continuity between com and '2
>> way'. When I turn the switch on I get the opposite result. This would
>> imply I should connect across com and '2 way ' for a 1 way switch ?
>
>> Same is true for the second switch I have.
>
>> I suspect I am being dozy here. Any thoughts.
>
> It all depends on how you want the switch configured. To some people Up is
> ON to others - the opposite. So Com to whichever suits you.

"Some" = Americans.
"Others" = British.

(If you are expecting it to be used by Japanese, you will have to mount
the switch sideways.)

--
Max Demian

In article <uvgvv1$3nh9e$1@dont-email.me>, Max Demian
<max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:
> On 14/04/2024 16:08, charles wrote:
> > In article <1924a1bfcd25f82ff3b3000e125566e2@www.novabbs.com>,
> > leenowell <leenowell@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> >> Hi All,
> >
> >> I am wiring up an MK outside light switch. The switch itself is a 2
> >> way switch but I only need one way. I tested it with my multi meter
> >> and it wasn't working. After a bit of trouble shooting, it transpires
> >> that with the switch up what would appear to be the right way (the
> >> writing on the back is the right way up), when the switch is off I get
> >> continuity between com and the '1 way' terminal and no continuity
> >> between com and '2 way'. When I turn the switch on I get the opposite
> >> result. This would imply I should connect across com and '2 way ' for
> >> a 1 way switch ?
> >
> >> Same is true for the second switch I have.
> >
> >> I suspect I am being dozy here. Any thoughts.
> >
> > It all depends on how you want the switch configured. To some people Up
> > is ON to others - the opposite. So Com to whichever suits you.

> "Some" = Americans. "Others" = British.

the circuit breakers in my CU are UP for on and with 2 way light switching,
you never know.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4té²
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On 14/04/2024 18:15, charles wrote:
> In article <uvgvv1$3nh9e$1@dont-email.me>, Max Demian
> <max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>> On 14/04/2024 16:08, charles wrote:
>>> In article <1924a1bfcd25f82ff3b3000e125566e2@www.novabbs.com>,
>>> leenowell <leenowell@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>>> I am wiring up an MK outside light switch. The switch itself is a 2
>>>> way switch but I only need one way. I tested it with my multi meter
>>>> and it wasn't working. After a bit of trouble shooting, it transpires
>>>> that with the switch up what would appear to be the right way (the
>>>> writing on the back is the right way up), when the switch is off I get
>>>> continuity between com and the '1 way' terminal and no continuity
>>>> between com and '2 way'. When I turn the switch on I get the opposite
>>>> result. This would imply I should connect across com and '2 way ' for
>>>> a 1 way switch ?
>>>
>>>> Same is true for the second switch I have.
>>>
>>>> I suspect I am being dozy here. Any thoughts.
>>>
>>> It all depends on how you want the switch configured. To some people Up
>>> is ON to others - the opposite. So Com to whichever suits you.
>
>> "Some" = Americans. "Others" = British.
>
>
> the circuit breakers in my CU are UP for on and with 2 way light switching,
> you never know.

Well that's just because of how they work.

Circuit breakers (and the main power switch) are Up for on, but I guess
they are Different.

I think the US convention dates from when they used exposed knife
switches, so gravity would turn them off.

--
Max Demian

On 14/04/2024 14:05, leenowell wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I am wiring up an MK outside light switch. The switch itself is a 2 way
> switch but I only need one way. I tested it with my multi meter and it
> wasn't working. After a bit of trouble shooting, it transpires that with
> the switch up what would appear to be the right way (the writing on the
> back is the right way up), when the switch is off I get continuity
> between com and the '1 way' terminal and no continuity between com and
> '2 way'. When I turn the switch on I get the opposite result. This would
> imply I should connect across com and '2 way ' for a 1 way switch ?

Yup - 2 way switches have a "changeover" action (or Single Pole Double
Throw if you prefer)

(you could use the com and 2 way terminals, and just invert the switch.
Many 1 way switches have space for the three terminals even if one is
not actually fitted)

Here is how they work in different applications:

https://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/2_Way_Switching

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

Thanks very much John