Simple light switch (France)

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Keith650

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Hi folks, need some advice. I have a lamp I wish to control by a simple light switch. At the moment, I have to plug it into a socket and pull the plug out to switch it off, which is a bit of a pain as the socket is quite low and in a difficult to reach place. As it’s a lamp I want to keep always in one place, I’m thinking to incorporate a switch along the cable, but more like a wall light switch that I can attach to the side of the unit it’s going to stand on. Is this possible with a standard simple wall switch as per photo ?
If so then how does the wiring go ? It has L, X1 and X2 terminals. There is no Earth involved with this lamp. Thanks in advance. Keith
 

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Thanks CBW. This is kind of what I had in mind originally but I want to be able to fix it to the side of the unit so it doesn’t move at all. I had the wall light switch (as pic) in my cupboard so wondered if I could use that instead. After all, it’s just a light switch … isn’t it ?
 
No reason you can't use your switch. If it is a single pole switch make sure it is in the brown wire.
 
Keith650 said:
I have a lamp I wish to control by a simple light switch. At the moment, I have to plug it into a socket and pull the plug out to switch it off, which is a bit of a pain as the socket is quite low and in a difficult to reach place. As it’s a lamp I want to keep always in one place, I’m thinking to incorporate a switch along the cable, but more like a wall light switch that I can attach to the side of the unit it’s going to stand on. Is this possible with a standard simple wall switch as per photo ?
If so then how does the wiring go ? It has L, X1 and X2 terminals. There is no Earth involved with this lamp. Thanks in advance. Keith
Click to expand...
What you propose to do is a "mess" and, probably, against "regulations".

In effect you are turning the "Unit" and the Lamp into an "appliance", connected via a flexible lead to the Socket-Outlet.

This requires that the incoming and outgoing leads be securely "anchored" to the "appliance" (A knot in each cable end is not acceptable).
It will be necessary that the switch (which you happen to have !) be installed in such a way that the rear contacts are not accessible, which means that it will need to be mounted on the "unit" in a suitable "box", with "strain relief" anchors, as previously mentioned.

Having the lamp permanently connected to the "box" on the unit will (eventually) prove to be a "pain" (for dusting, cleaning, moving etc.)
Hence, you may need to have the lamp plug into a "socket-outlet" on the side of the "box".

All of this to save the cost of an In-Line switch, (https://www.electricalcounter.co.uk/products/Lighting/Indoor+Lighting/Knightsbridge+Indoor+Lighting/Accessories+&+Drivers/White+Double+Pole+Inline+Cord+Switch+6A/1179750057 )https://www.toolstation.com/axiom-inline-switch/p76089? ) which should be specified as being "double pole" (particularly in Europe, where many socket outlets are not "polarised"), and instead to use a switch, designed for mounting on a wall, which you just happen to have and which is also only a "single pole" switch.
 
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FrodoOne said:
(particularly in Europe, where many socket outlets are not "polarised"), and instead to use a switch, designed for mounting on a wall, which you just happen to have and which is also only a "single pole" switch.
Click to expand...

Sockets are polarised in France. Though some double insulated appliances have 2 pin plugs which defeats the polarisation.
 
Thanks for your reply FrodoOne. I wasn’t looking for a lecture, just some friendly advice as to whether a can-do or can’t-do. I asked what I thought was a reasonable question in a reasonable way. I wasn’t trying to avoid the cost of a simple table lamp switch, I was just trying to avoid having a cable swinging around with a switch on it in preference if something a bit neater. Anyway, if it can’t be done, it can’t be done , so I won’t do it. If I knew the answers, I wouldn’t have asked in the first place.
 
I am sorry if you considered that my post was a "lecture".
I was trying to point out certain "problems" with your proposed "installation" which you may not have considered.

While many things can be done, there are also many things which should not be done - for many and various reasons.
 
You could do this with a philips hue smart bulb and their battery operated wall switch/dimmer which you can either screw mount or use the mag mount
 
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