Wiring a dual circuit light

Hi, can anyone help me to understand how to wire the ceiling light in my apartment in Berlin, Mitte:

I have a ceiling light that has a dual switch powering it, i.e. two switches side by side, giving the choice of three light settings. I want to wire a three light unit and have one switch power one light, the other two and of course have all three lights on if both switches are pressed.

At the moment I have five wires coming out of my ceiling: one blue, two black, one striped green\brown and one brown. So far I have found that I can wire the black and blue to power a light using one switch, if I use the other black and the blue I can use the other switch, but I dont know how to wire both at once. Should I use the blacks for each side and loop the blue, earth the striped wire and cap the brown.

I am not going to do anything until I clearly understand what I am dealing with here, but any advice would be gladly received.

I tried to buy a specific light fitting but was told that they no longer use these type of lights since dimmers are now used which is logical but strange since my apartment was built in 2001.

best wishes

Mark

I've seen this movie. Cut the red wire.

NO! The OTHER red one!!

See here. The green/yellow is your ground wire. You MUST use a three-way switch for this.

woof.

I don't think BD understood the question - his link shows how to wire single lamp with multiple switches, as you would need if you had a stairway lamp with independent switches at the top and bottom of the stairs.

I think you answered your own question - the blue is a common feed, the blacks are the two switched circuits. Green/brown is earth. Heaven knows what the brown is for - maybe a permanent live feed for an appliance that may need it. You can easily check all this with a cheap voltmeter. You may need to re-wire a 3-element light fitting to split out a common lamp pair and a single lamp. You can't do much wrong beyond throwing the in-house circuit breakers which are easily re-set, but if in doubt call in an electrician

cool, thanks Yorkshire lad, that is what I was thinking so I can just split the blue off to feed both the blacks?

I will give it a try

cheers

Mark

AwESOME

thanks a lot

Mark

Lads/Lasses,

We just moved into our new apartment and as per usual all the lights left with the previous occupant. So a quick Ikea trip has resulted in a set of lights, sorted.

On the Ikea lamp I have just two wires, one blue, one brown. From the ceiling I have 3 wires (Quite difficult to say what colours they are as they were painted over in the renovation. Which was nice. But as far as I can tell two black and a blue, will have another perusal tonight), question is, which wires connect to which? Do I connect just two wires or all three?

Cheers,

Allan.

(Yes I know I've wasted my youth drinking and having a good time instead of doing DIY type stuff)