Three switches controlling the same lights. How do I safely remove one of the switches completely?
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somewhat difficult, at the moment all we know is different colours at the 3 locations and no obvious signs of L & SL cables yet.
Morning guys, I've done some more investigating, and this is what I've come up with. I think this is going ot have a lot of pictures.
First, here's a quick shot of the actual doorway with the light switches I want to move:
The left switch is the one I want to completely remove (or move elsewhere - The right hand one is the kitchen light switch, and I can leave it or slightly move it to the right by 20mm or so in order to keep it in its zone. I believe the left hand switches cable runs up to the top, and then to the left into the void under the second floor stairs:
The cables in question seem to emerge from here:
This is almost directly where the blue line finishes in the first picture, and they run along and through the stairs in the second picture, until they go into this junction box?
I haven't checked the ceiling rose yet - what I'm hoping someone will tell me is that I can just isolate, cut these cables and terminate in a wago box and leave the cables buried in the wall.
What do you guys think?
What secondary question.. The kitchen switch obviously has two lengths of T&E running from it, too, but I can presume since only 2 pieces emerge from that hole I showed you, that the cable for the kitchen simply runs into the kitchen, right, and that's why there aren't four cables emerging from that hole?
First, here's a quick shot of the actual doorway with the light switches I want to move:
The left switch is the one I want to completely remove (or move elsewhere - The right hand one is the kitchen light switch, and I can leave it or slightly move it to the right by 20mm or so in order to keep it in its zone. I believe the left hand switches cable runs up to the top, and then to the left into the void under the second floor stairs:
The cables in question seem to emerge from here:
This is almost directly where the blue line finishes in the first picture, and they run along and through the stairs in the second picture, until they go into this junction box?
I haven't checked the ceiling rose yet - what I'm hoping someone will tell me is that I can just isolate, cut these cables and terminate in a wago box and leave the cables buried in the wall.
What do you guys think?
What secondary question.. The kitchen switch obviously has two lengths of T&E running from it, too, but I can presume since only 2 pieces emerge from that hole I showed you, that the cable for the kitchen simply runs into the kitchen, right, and that's why there aren't four cables emerging from that hole?
Sorry, just lifted another floorboard to get a better view of the junction box. It actually has four wires (not two) running into it from the top, which I couldn't see before
Here:
The wires in the top of the junction box are going left, towards the light switch on the second floor (but I cannot verify, it's merely going in that direction) the wires in the bottom of the junction box are the ones coming from the light switch in the kitchen doorway in question. I don't know if that helps. The T&E running towards us not going to the junctionbox is, I believe, unrelated, since it seems to be running into another room and doesn't seem connected to anything we're looking at here.
The cable running left to right is just an old phone cable that I'm going to rip out
Here:
The wires in the top of the junction box are going left, towards the light switch on the second floor (but I cannot verify, it's merely going in that direction) the wires in the bottom of the junction box are the ones coming from the light switch in the kitchen doorway in question. I don't know if that helps. The T&E running towards us not going to the junctionbox is, I believe, unrelated, since it seems to be running into another room and doesn't seem connected to anything we're looking at here.
The cable running left to right is just an old phone cable that I'm going to rip out
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It's always best practice to remove disused cables and boxes when doing this kind of work.
But I'm a bit confused. You talk both of removing a door and putting a new door lining (casing?) in. Which is it?
Could you post a wider picture of the area?
I take it the left hand switch is the intermediate one that you want to remove? And the right hand one is the one that is staying?
I may have missed this detail, but if you're putting a door casing in, how are you sure that the cable drop for the light switch you want to keep is not going to be in the way?
But I'm a bit confused. You talk both of removing a door and putting a new door lining (casing?) in. Which is it?
Could you post a wider picture of the area?
I take it the left hand switch is the intermediate one that you want to remove? And the right hand one is the one that is staying?
I may have missed this detail, but if you're putting a door casing in, how are you sure that the cable drop for the light switch you want to keep is not going to be in the way?
The doorway has never had a door, I'm putting one in directly in line witht he left hand switch. I am going to leave the right hand switch in place, or chase it out of the wall and move it over slightly if the lining doesn't fit with decent clearance.
I don't know how to answer your question any further I'm afraid, since I'm hoping the picturtes tell the full story.
In short:
1. I have a doorway that has an intermediate light switch in it.
2. I want to move or preferably remove the lightswitch so that I can drill into the wall safely.
That is the most pressing issue. Secondary to that, if possible:
3. change the lighting so that it's either two way, or just a normal single circuit controlling their respective lights. i.e - lower remaining switch controls lower floor light, and upper switch controls the upper floor light.
But 3. is just a bonus, my most pressing, urgent matter is getting rid of this switch so I can drill into the wall. I don't know enough about electrics to explain more than what the pictures show, I'm afraid!
I don't know how to answer your question any further I'm afraid, since I'm hoping the picturtes tell the full story.
In short:
1. I have a doorway that has an intermediate light switch in it.
2. I want to move or preferably remove the lightswitch so that I can drill into the wall safely.
That is the most pressing issue. Secondary to that, if possible:
3. change the lighting so that it's either two way, or just a normal single circuit controlling their respective lights. i.e - lower remaining switch controls lower floor light, and upper switch controls the upper floor light.
But 3. is just a bonus, my most pressing, urgent matter is getting rid of this switch so I can drill into the wall. I don't know enough about electrics to explain more than what the pictures show, I'm afraid!
depending on how much plaster work you're comfortable with, this solution sems almost the most obvious
I'm guessing that you have something like this in the junction box
and all you will need to do is isolate the 2 switch cables and wire like this
Being under the floor is should be a wago type box.
Either cut the abandoned cables as short as possible or write on them with a sharpie.
Bear in mind you will have the disused cables in the wall when making your fixings and expect to find soft patches.
If you'd prefer to switch the 2 lights independantly I'm happy to attempt to follow that route further.
I'm guessing that you have something like this in the junction box
and all you will need to do is isolate the 2 switch cables and wire like this
Being under the floor is should be a wago type box.
Either cut the abandoned cables as short as possible or write on them with a sharpie.
Bear in mind you will have the disused cables in the wall when making your fixings and expect to find soft patches.
If you'd prefer to switch the 2 lights independantly I'm happy to attempt to follow that route further.
Thank you so much mate, so just to explain this in layman's terms, could you confirm if this is what you're saying:
1. Open junction box and remove the cables running from that intermediate switch. Terminate the cable using a wago box at one end, and tape at the end where the switch was and mark as abandoned
2. go back to junction box and connect black to black and red to red in the cables that remain
3. No other steps required
Is that about right?
1. Open junction box and remove the cables running from that intermediate switch. Terminate the cable using a wago box at one end, and tape at the end where the switch was and mark as abandoned
2. go back to junction box and connect black to black and red to red in the cables that remain
3. No other steps required
Is that about right?
Sunray, you're a legend, it works perfectly. I'm so appreciative, I can't thank you enough; you've been brilliant, mate, really - thank you!
Now, haha, with that said, if you ALSO wanted to guide me through separating the two remaining switches so they each control their own floors, I'd be so grateful. If you're willing, let me know what you need in the way of pictures, etc.
Thanks again, and if you feel like you've helped me enough already, I totally understand and agree!
Now, haha, with that said, if you ALSO wanted to guide me through separating the two remaining switches so they each control their own floors, I'd be so grateful. If you're willing, let me know what you need in the way of pictures, etc.
Thanks again, and if you feel like you've helped me enough already, I totally understand and agree!
Ideally the junction box should be replaced with a maintenance free version such as wago.
I'll take the adulation but I'm really not brilliant, effectively you have done what Eric (i believe it was) suggested back in the first few posts but in a different place.
I suspect splitting them is not going to be simple as I imagine there are going to be other junction boxes.
But let's start with pics of the wiring at the lamps/ceiling roses.
Also is anything visible, such as in the loft? Or any idea where the 2 grey cables go to - the 2 still in use.
I'll take the adulation but I'm really not brilliant, effectively you have done what Eric (i believe it was) suggested back in the first few posts but in a different place.
I suspect splitting them is not going to be simple as I imagine there are going to be other junction boxes.
But let's start with pics of the wiring at the lamps/ceiling roses.
Also is anything visible, such as in the loft? Or any idea where the 2 grey cables go to - the 2 still in use.
Another also; someone mentioned the position of the cables for the 2G switch - which I haven't addressed at all, are any of those visible in the ceiling void to get an idea of where they run?
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