Though not an accepted practise due to safety reasons, it is a workable solution.

I have recently partitioned my garage (creating two smaller rooms) and would like to add a second light to the new area that can be controlled by it’s own switch by changing the single light switch to a double.

I can see how I can take the live input (L1) from switch 1 to switch 2…no problem.

But…rather than have to tap into my existing ceiling rose for the neutral circuit (I’d have to chisel out the ceiling in order to get from one light to the other and conceal the cable) is it possible to use a spurred 13A -> 5A socket (I have one very close to the light switch) to somehow feed the second light?

I’ve seen this done before but don’t know enought about electrics to try something like that myself.

I don’t quite understand what you are trying to explain, but I think yo have your wires wrongly connected.

First you should dismantle the switch on the west part, which I believe is where the original light and switch is located. From that switch you should run one strand of wire to the new switch at the east part.

Then from the existing light, run another wire to the new light at the east part. Now you have a pair of wires running to the east part where you intend to add a new light.

The wire which you ran from the existing switch (the west part) should go to the new switch and the wire from the existing light should go to the new light. It doesn’t matter what color wires you use as long as you remember which goes where.

Now, you have one wire at the new switch and one wire at the new light point, (east part) From the new switch, run another wire to the new light point so now you have 2 wires at the switch and 2 wires at the light. I hope you are with me so far.

Okay, now terminate the new switch. You have 2 wires right? One coming from the existing switch in the west part and one going to the new light. The one coming from the existing switch will be the “live” wire or the “hot” wire. The wire going to the new light will be the “switch” wire or the wire that supplies electricity to the new light. Terminate the switch accordingly.

Now go to the new fluorescent light. The wire that came from the existing light in the west part is the “neutral” wire. The wire that came from the new switch is the “hot” wire. This wire normally ends up at the light’s ballast.

After terminating the new switch and the new light, go back to the west part. You have a wire at the light point that runs to the new light right? This wire MUST be twisted together with the NEUTRAL wire of that light. I think this is where your present problem lies. Find out which is the “hot” wire at the old existing light and avoid twisting the new wire with this one.

After you are sure you got that right, go to the old existing switch. You have another new wire there which you ran to the new switch. This new wire MUST be twisted together with the HOT wire in that switch. This mean the wire that has electricity supply coming, so make sure you switch off the mains.

If you did all this correctly, all should be working perfectly. If the fluorescent light still flickers, it means the light is faulty and not the wirings.

Thanks
Wayne