Your existing switch has 6 terminals, 3 for each switch, 5 used 1 is not.The one in situ has 3 points for the wire and the new ones I've seen have 4.
Your existing switch has 6 terminals, 3 for each switch, 5 used 1 is not.
The only switches with 4 are intermediates or 2 pole, neither of which are suitable. Or those horrid efforts from China which often have touch controls and other nonsense, usually sold on ebay or a similar tat outlet. Don't buy electrical items on ebay. In fact, don't buy any item on ebay.
This is the type of switch as a direct replacement: http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-2-gang-2-way-10ax-light-switch-polished-chrome/25936
Many others available.
If they become common, you can just imagine the total shambles that people will make with them.a loop terminal for the neutral.
Indeed, and it will dramatically change the situation. As things are (or have been), one can be reassured by the fact that it does not matter how wrong someone gets the connections to light switches, nothing 'nasty' is going to happen (just incorrect, or no, functionality). If one of the conductors is a neutral, that all changes (and we could anticipate a few bangs)!If they become common, you can just imagine the total shambles that people will make with them. It's bad enough already with people removing light switches and inexplicably not noting how they were previously wired.
It's not, but, as I said, hitherto light switches have been pretty unique in as much as no matter what someone did wrong with connecting conductors to the switch, no harm would be done.It is no different from replacing a socket or ceiling rose.
I suspect that you may be referring to the Australian "Clipsal" designed SPDT switch - used in Australia New Zealand for well over 50 years and now appearing in the UK (and elsewhere), since Clipsal is now part of Schneider Electric.It's worth noting some 2-way switches do have a fourth terminal now - a loop terminal for the neutral.
Maybe that's true of the Australasian products but it's not the case with the Hager one which EFLI has just posted - unless one reads the labels, it would be easy to think that it was an intermediate switch.You should note that the Loop Terminal does look somewhat different to the other terminals.
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