domestic lighting wiring and switching

[tawraste]

hi everyone,
got another query, this time about domestic lighting wiring and switching.
it seems to me that from a design point of view this is one of the most diverse areas in a domestic installation.
i've noticed on forum threads the borrowed neutral of old, i've noticed in my own home the method of wiring to the switch first, and i've noticed in friends' and family's homes new colours with multi-core cables. then there's the sheer variety of switching. my mates new extension has a separate new circuit for the lights going straight to a four way switch, one of which is part of a two way on the other side of the room of which the security light is also connected. the wiring arrangement looks baffling !
having looked through all my books there's no details about switching design. so i looked for some software, no dice.
in the end i took other forum members advice and drew the circuits in their various switching positions.

i have to say this has helped a great deal.

however, i would still like to find a resource that covers this area. can anyone recommend a book? or anything else?
i think it would be useful to cover this area fully with a bunch of switches on a board run off a couple of batteries. also such a resource would help with identifying old switching designs such as the borrowed neutral. there's a site called flameport which has excellent guides for getting to know the old accessories - but again, very little about the actual switching and wiring.

absolutely any advice orhelp would be greatly appreciated,

many thanks

tawraste

 

[ezzzekiel]

dont know if any book exists at the end of the day a switch is just a switch so it would be a short book.

make a mock board with a plug on then you can try any combinations you like and see how it works.

 

[tawraste]

thanks ezzzekiel,
i'm swiftly coming to that conclusion! do they cover this in full time college courses or is this one of those areas everyone simply figures out?

 

[malcolmsanford]

The Brian Scadden books are quite good, just don't take the maths to literally, but he use to do one on domestic wiring and fault finding that had quite a few lighting and power diagrams

 

[tawraste]

excellent stuff! i shall track it down! cheers

 

[ezzzekiel]

you tend to learn one way and two way switching at college but they tend not to cover older wiring versions such as borrowed lives, neutrals etc, with a couple of lights and few swirches and some diagrams you will soon figure it out though