Updated light switched and power socket but not sure which ones to buy?

[Infinity]

Hi,

I'm thinking of changing my light switches and power sockets, but am unsure of which one to get in terms of fitting.

I have some single light switches and some single slight switches which work two way (upstairs and downstairs). I also need to change my double power sockets.

I've checked in a catalog and seen the following:
16AX 1 gang 2 way - I'm guessing this will be for the single light switch which can also be controlled from upstairs light switch.

16AX 1 gang intermediate - single light switch

As for my power sockets, I'm not sure which ones I need! The options are:

13A 2 gang double-pole switched
13A 2 gang single-pole switched

I've attached pictures of my current setup.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[securespark]

Unlikely you need intermediate unless you have a three-way set up anywhere.

Don't you have any multi-gang switches, ie plates with more than one switch on?

 

[Infinity]

Unlikely you need intermediate unless you have a three-way set up anywhere.

Don't you have any multi-gang switches, ie plates with more than one switch on?

Hi, No multi-gang switches.

 

[securespark]

The brand you buy depends on your budget. As with all things there are a whole range of prices from bargain basement through to silly money.

Do you need a particular finish?

One thing to watch out for is conductors cut short which means that if the replacement fittings have terminals in a different place to your existing ones, they may well not reach.

Oh, and flat plate accessories may well require a deeper box than that already installed, so choose accessories that fit your existing boxes.

If yours are all GET, have a look at their ranges. I guess the terminals will have a similar layout.

 

[Taylortwocities]

16AX 1 gang 2 way

Use those for single (1 gang) light switches

13A 2 gang double-pole switched

I prefer double pole switched sockets. The minimal price difference makes single gang switches a no brainer.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Before you start replacing switches, I strongly advise doing these things, if you haven't already.

1. Get a multimeter, and learn how to use it.
2. Learn about safe isolation procedures.
   
3. Learn how switches work, and therefore how to work out which terminals are which even if not marked, or to help replace one type and make of switch with another with a different number and/or layout and/or naming convention.
4. Learn how UK domestic lighting circuits are wired and work, so that you understand what is going on and the importance of keeping track of which wire is which.

• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=electrical+circuits+101
  
  
• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=multimeter+101
  
  
• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=uk+house+wiring+(basics+OR+101)
  
  
• http://kevinboone.net/electricity.html
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/domesticinstallations.html
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/diy/threads/electrics-safety.7553/
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Safety-Information
  
  
• [wiki]Electrics%3Abooks[/wiki]
  
  
• [wiki]Electrics%3Aindex[/wiki]
  
  

 

[Infinity]

The brand you buy depends on your budget. As with all things there are a whole range of prices from bargain basement through to silly money.

Do you need a particular finish?

One thing to watch out for is conductors cut short which means that if the replacement fittings have terminals in a different place to your existing ones, they may well not reach.

Oh, and flat plate accessories may well require a deeper box than that already installed, so choose accessories that fit your existing boxes.

If yours are all GET, have a look at their ranges. I guess the terminals will have a similar layout.

I'm going for the Schneider electric range . I think they bought GET. Looking for brushed Chrome. Nothing too shiny. Luckily my boxes are all deep ones, well the one I checked were.

 

[Infinity]

Before you start replacing switches, I strongly advise doing these things, if you haven't already.

1. Get a multimeter, and learn how to use it.
2. Learn about safe isolation procedures.
   
3. Learn how switches work, and therefore how to work out which terminals are which even if not marked, or to help replace one type and make of switch with another with a different number and/or layout and/or naming convention.
4. Learn how UK domestic lighting circuits are wired and work, so that you understand what is going on and the importance of keeping track of which wire is which.

• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=electrical+circuits+101
  
• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=multimeter+101
  
• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=uk+house+wiring+(basics+OR+101)
  
• http://kevinboone.net/electricity.html
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/domesticinstallations.html
  
• //www.diynot.com/diy/threads/electrics-safety.7553/
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Safety-Information
  
• [wiki]Electrics%3Abooks[/wiki]
  
• [wiki]Electrics%3Aindex[/wiki]
  

Thanks for the links - I'll do some studying. I have a multimeter and know how to use it.

 

[securespark]

13A 2 gang double-pole switched

I prefer double pole switched sockets. The minimal price difference makes single gang switches a no brainer.

The ones Inf proposes are DP.
Did you mean single pole not single gang?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Yes. Thanks. I did mean " there's little point buying sockets that have single gang switches"

 

[EFLImpudence]

 

[Infinity]

Unlikely you need intermediate unless you have a three-way set up anywhere.

Don't you have any multi-gang switches, ie plates with more than one switch on?

Thinking about it I do have a three way setup. One single switch downstairs and two single switches upstairs which can all control the upstairs corridor lights.

 

[winston1]

The brand you buy depends on your budget. As with all things there are a whole range of prices from bargain basement through to silly money.

Do you need a particular finish?

One thing to watch out for is conductors cut short which means that if the replacement fittings have terminals in a different place to your existing ones, they may well not reach.

Oh, and flat plate accessories may well require a deeper box than that already installed, so choose accessories that fit your existing boxes.

If yours are all GET, have a look at their ranges. I guess the terminals will have a similar layout.

I'm going for the Schneider electric range . I think they bought GET. Looking for brushed Chrome. Nothing too shiny. Luckily my boxes are all deep ones, well the one I checked were.

Can't understand this fad for changing sockets. Moulded plugs are often black, rewireable ones white, but never brushed chrome. So what is the point?

 

[Doggit]

If you've got 3 light switches, then the middle one will be an intermediate. The difference between a single pole switch, and a double pole one, is that the double pole will cut off both the live and neutral feeds, whereas the single pole only cuts off the live feed.

Take photos of the sockets before you remove them, and if there's any queries regarding more than one wire with the same colour, make a small mark on one, and take a note of where it goes. And get a socket tester to prove you've got the wires back in the right way.

 

[Infinity]

The brand you buy depends on your budget. As with all things there are a whole range of prices from bargain basement through to silly money.

Do you need a particular finish?

One thing to watch out for is conductors cut short which means that if the replacement fittings have terminals in a different place to your existing ones, they may well not reach.

Oh, and flat plate accessories may well require a deeper box than that already installed, so choose accessories that fit your existing boxes.

If yours are all GET, have a look at their ranges. I guess the terminals will have a similar layout.

I'm going for the Schneider electric range . I think they bought GET. Looking for brushed Chrome. Nothing too shiny. Luckily my boxes are all deep ones, well the one I checked were.

Can't understand this fad for changing sockets. Moulded plugs are often black, rewireable ones white, but never brushed chrome. So what is the point?

Lol it's the Mrs idea to match things in the house...e.g door handles and other fittings. To me there is nothing wrong with the standard white ones we have.
P.S it's black nickel she want now!