Triple Light Switch

[drewks]

Hello
I've got a 3 switch lightswitch but would like to remove it as the only switch that I would vaguely term "in use" is permanently 'on' (switching it off cuts out the lights for a small circuit which has separate switches further down the line); the other 2 switches are, I think, for now defunct outside lights.
Is there any way that I can wire up the connections to make the one circuit still "on" and remove the switch completely?

Thanks for any help you may be able to give

 

[Taylortwocities]

I have some questions first.

Looking at your photo, which is the switch that you term as "in use"?

If you were to remove the switch, what would you then plan to do with the hole and cables?

 

[drewks]

The switch 'in use' is the one on the left; if I can remove the switch I'd just put a blank plate on (this would house the connections, I'm assuming?).


Thanks

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Short answer-yes you can, provided you do use a removable blanking plate (to maintain the cable safe zones and maintain access to the connections).

Long answer. Acquire some 5A terminal block and a screwdriver. Isolate the circuit, check for isolation with known good multimeter (NOT one of those stupid volt sticks or neon screwdrivers).

Mark all wires with some sort of unique identifier (up to you what you use), draw or mark a photo up so that if all goes horribly wrong you can restore the wiring back to the way it is now.

Disconnect the 2 wires marked DFA from the switch, put terminal block on the bare ends (don't connect the 2 wires together).

Power the circuit back up, make sure that everything else still works properly (the 2 lefthand switches are wired as 2 way so might affect something else. The righthand switch is DFA as currently wired)

Provided all is OK, isolate the circuit again. Disconnect LIVE, S1 and S2 from the switch. Put a piece of terminal block on the end of S1, use another piece of terminal block to connect LIVE and S2.

Power circuit back up, make sure that everything else still works properly. If it does then happy days, put your blanking plate on. If it doesn't then isolate circuit, disconnect S2 from LIVE (terminate S2 safely), connect S1 to LIVE. Power circuit back up, check everything works properly, cover plate, happy days.

 

[drewks]

Very many thanks for that, OBND - much appreciated

 

[drewks]

Aha..... UPDATE!
It seems that the MIDDLE switch is a 2 way switch for the kitchen light so I fell at the first hurdle here; could this still be done though? I'd also want to 'unwire' this kitchen light from THIS switch if possible

 

[Taylortwocities]

Yes you can. For that circuit you will need two bits of terminal (choc) block.

You will notice that each switch section is made of three terminals. Usually called COM, L1 and L2 (Let us know if your switch is different, there are different types)
Like this

2 gang switch layout

• Taylortwocities
• 31 Aug 2009
• 16

To bypass that switch, in one bit of choc block, you need to put the two red wires that are in COM together in with the associated red wire (from L1 or L2, cannot see which from your pic). That will leave you with the black wire with the red sleeve. Put that in a separate piece of choc block. That will do it.


EDIT. If you find that the 2-way switch that is on the other end is operating "upside down" then swop over the red with the black with red sleeve.

 

[drewks]

Thanks, Taylor2......you say
" You will notice that each switch section is made of three terminals. Usually called COM, L1 and L2 (Let us know if your switch is different)"
...mine has 8 screw terminals, 4 on top, 4 on bottom.
I'm no doubt being dim here but I'm presuming this makes it different to your description?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

To2C was describing a 2 gang 2 way switch- total 6 terminals (C, L1, L2) x 2

Yours is a 3 gang 2 way switch, total of 9 terminals (5 on top, 4 at the bottom). If you look carefully at the back of the thing (probably in the white plastic rather than the brown backplate) you should see the marks (C, L1, L2 or something like).

Going back to the pic I sent you the other day, you need to link the LIVE to one of the DFA wires (via terminal block) and make the other DFA safe. Test kitchen light- if the switch is upside down then come back to this switch, link the LIVE to the other DFA wire.

 

[EFLImpudence]

What's DFA?

 

[Iggifer]

Does F All

 

[EFLImpudence]

Thanks.

 

[drewks]

DONE!!
Very many thanks to you both for the advice

 

[securespark]

EFLI, thanks for asking that!

I was wondering too but was too chicken to ask...