Two gang two way switches - some advice please.

[galliano2001]

Right, i will try and explain this as clearly as i can, i can upload photos if someone would be kind enough to explain how.

In my downstairs hallway and upstaies landing i have two lights, one on each level.

Downstairs i have a two gang two way switch. The right hand switch turns the downstairs hallway light on and off, very simple. The left hand swicth does nothing, and has done nothing since i bought the house two years ago.

If you remove the switch there are two pairs of cables, one pair feeding each switch, they are both red and black pairs, no earth.

Upstairs, again i have a two gang two way swicth. The left hand switch controls the bathroom light, and is again fed by a single red and black pair cable, this works fine.

The right hand switch is fed by a 3 core cable (red, blue and yellow) and controls the upstairs landing light only.

Additionally within the back box is another 3 core cable (yellow, blue and red) that is terminated in a chock block and not connected to the switch at all.

Obviously i want to be able to control the landing light from downstairs as well as from upstairs, does this sound possible with the wiring thats present as i must assume thats the whole reason the double gang swictch was downstairs to start with?

 

[leeco]

it sounds like the switch that is dose nothing has no live feed it should have 3 wires going to it

 

[sparkyspike]

It is possible that you can control the upstairs light from the 'unused' downstairs switch, but it depends on the wiring you have at the light fittings. Can you photo or describe this wiring?

 

[galliano2001]

You mean the wiring within the ceiling roses? Yes i can do that, how do i add photographs onto this thread?

Thanks.

 

[sparkyspike]

Click 'help' at the top of this page.

 

[galliano2001]

Right, i have uploaded pictures into an album, how i then get those to show up in this thread is a mystery to me though.

 

[leeco]

click the picture that you want to post and copy the text in the DIYnot BBCode box then paste it into your thred

 

[galliano2001]

Downstairs Switch

• galliano2001
• 15 Aug 2008
• 1

Upstairs Switch

• galliano2001
• 15 Aug 2008
• 1

Upstairs Rose

• galliano2001
• 15 Aug 2008
• 1

Upstairs Rose

• galliano2001
• 15 Aug 2008
• 1

 

[galliano2001]

Cheers leeco, easy really, like everything is when you know how!

 

[sparkyspike]

It looks to me like you must have junction boxes somewhere between the lightswitches and the ceiling roses. Any idea where they are? Probably a rectangular grey or black box the size of a paperpack book somewhere in the loft? May have 'BICC' or 'Ashley' written on it. Anyway, it looks like you may be able to use the downstairs switch by linking the permanent live of the adjacent switch to the COM terminal and using the black and red as strappers. It may also be possible to do the same with the upstairs lightswitch and control the hall light. This would mean a 3 gang switch upstairs. Anyway, don't attempt any of this until you have traced every cable and know where it goes. You'll probably need an electrician to do this for you. All I'm saying is that it may be possible. By all means upload a clear picture of your j.b. (if you can find it!)