2 WAY 3 GANG SWITCH

[SANDY HAROON]

HI IM A WOMEN TRYING TO ATTEMPT THIS TASK ON MY OWN. I NEED HELP.
I LIVE IN A 3 STORY HOUSE. FIRST FLOOR I HAVE A 2WAY 1 GANG SWICH AS YOU COME INTO THE HOUSE. AT THE OTHER END I HAVE A 2WAY 2 GANG SWICH . ONE TURNS OF/ON HALL WAY LIGHT THE

SECOUND TURNS OF /ON THE STAIR LIGHTING. THIS IS FINE IM NOT GOING TO TOUCH THIS.
AS I GO UP TO THE FIRST FLOOR I HAVE A 2WAY 2 GANG SWTICH. THIS TURNS OF/ON THE 1 FLOOR STAIRS LIGHTING PLUS IT ALSO TURNS /ON/OF 2 FLOOR LIGHTING

THE THE 3RD FLOOR LIGHTING.
ON THE 3 FLOOR I ONLY HAVE A 2WAY 1GANG SWICH. THIS TURNS ON/OF THE LIGHTS ON THE THE SECOUND FLOOR AND 3RD FLOOR.

WHAT I WANT ON THE SECOUND FLOOR A EXTRA LIGHT BESIDES THE THE STAIR LIGHTS AS I HAVE A HALL WAY THERE. I ALSO WANT TO TURN THIS ON /OF FROM THE 3 FLOOR.

I NEED TO REPLACE THE 2WAY 2GANG SWICH WITH A 3 WAY 2GANG SWITCH.
ON THE 3RD FLOOR I NEED TO RELACE 1GANG 2WAY SWTICH WITH A 2WAY 2 GANG SWICH.
I NEED HELP ON THIS!


PLEASE CAN ANY BODY HELP ME

 

[xerxes]

I'm sure that a number of people will: welcome to the forum.

However, please note Rule 7 and turn your caps lock off

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Do you really want the new light on the 2nd floor hallway to be switched independently from the existing 2nd floor stair light?

By far and away the easiest thing would be to just add the new light, wire it into the existing light, and have them go on and off together.

If you do want them separate, then from each changed switch you've worked out you need (sounds right) you will also need to add new cables, which will almost certainly require you to enlarge the existing chases in the walls, or at the very least dig out the existing cables and replace and add the new one - it's unlikely that however the cables get to the existing switches you'll be able to introduce extra ones without damaging the walls.

You need to find out whether your lighting circuit loops through the ceiling fittings or through the switches. I know that for the former you'll find all the diagrams you need to work out how to do it in the For Reference Topic/Wiki, not sure about the latter.

 

[SANDY HAROON]

i have already channel out the cables. the loop is in the light circut on the ceiling. im fully aware i need extra cable running into my switch and replace it. but dont know how to do it. im having spot lights put in on the hall way

 

[ban-all-sheds]

There's a good set of diagrams showing how lighting circuits are wired here: //www.diynot.com/forums/posting.php?mode=quote&p=377914

This one I quite like because it builds up step by step:

And finally there's a good set of diagrams of 2-way switching here: //www.diynot.com/forums/posting.php?mode=quote&p=153373

 

[SANDY HAROON]

THANKS. BUT IT DOES NOT GIVE ANY INFO ON A 2WAY 3GANG SWITCH.THATS THE HELP I NEED . PLEASE CAN ANYONE PUT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

 

[thompsk]

THANKS. BUT IT DOES NOT GIVE ANY INFO ON A 2WAY 3GANG SWITCH.THATS THE HELP I NEED . PLEASE CAN ANYONE PUT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

You would be better off getting a local approved electrician my love rather than doing a diy job that is more for the professional to do.

That being said just for your info you would need to run a three core and earth between the second floor switch and the third floor switch ( 2 way ) then you would need a twin and earth from your third floor switch to the new light ( live and switch wire ) then you would also need a twin and earth from your existing third flood light fitting to your new third floor fitting ( this would be the new feed live and neutral ).

Any clearer ?

Like I say get a local part p registered electrician that know what they are doing, electricity in the wrong hands KILLS.

 

[SANDY HAROON]

THANK GOING TO SEE TO IT TOMARROW. I HAVE PUT IN SPOTS LIGHT IN THE WHOLE OF STAIRS AND ALL LANDINGS. I DID IT WITH THE HELP OF A FRIEND WHO IS RETIRED LAST DID ELECTRICAL WORK TEN YEARS AGO. SO WE ARE STRUUGLING ON THE THIRD SWITCH.

ON THE SECOUND FLOOR I DO NOT HAVE ANY LIGHTS EXCEPT THE ON ON TOP OF THE STAIR 2ND LEVEL THIS WOULD GIVE ME EANOUGH LIGHTING FOR THE STAIRS AND THE 2ND FLOOR LANDIND.
AS YOU SEE IM HAVING SPOT LIGHTS ON THE STAIRS AND THIS DOES NOT GIVE ME EANOUGH LIGHTING ON THE HALL WAY ON THE SECOUND FLOOR.
SO I WANT A SEPARATE SWITCH WHICH IS A 2WAY 3GANG.
IVE DONE ALL MY LABOUR WORK JUST HAVE TO WATE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS TOMARROW WITH THE INFO IVE COLLECTED.

 

[SANDY HAROON]

i understand im in capatails sorry

 

[ban-all-sheds]

THANKS. BUT IT DOES NOT GIVE ANY INFO ON A 2WAY 3GANG SWITCH.THATS THE HELP I NEED . PLEASE CAN ANYONE PUT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

1-gang, 2-gang, 3-gang, 1000000-gang, it makes no difference. Apart from sometimes strapping a single incoming permanent live from one gang to the next, each gang is independent, and wired up just as if it was the only one in the switch, just like in the diagrams.

 

[SANDY HAROON]

IVE COMPLETED THE 2WAY 3GANG SWITCH CONECTING TO MY 2WAY 1GANG WHICH IVE CHANGED TO A 2WAY 2GANG.
its working thank you very much for all the help and support.

we did it our way. but its working.let me tell you what i did just in case ive done it wrong but all is working fine.

we took 2 separte single core from the light switch one to a junction box that was already excesting above the celling and the othe to the spot light
we also put a twin wire from the switch to the secound switch which we had to change to a 2way 2gang switch
also we put a loop in this secound switch dont ask me why beause its hard to explain it was a red wire that we used in the switch to make a loop both ends of this loop are in this switch . i dont understand where exactle where they went in this switch but its working fine.


we aslso put in earth in both switches that we put a green and yellow sleeve on and screwed them to the back box with the others that was already there.

i hope this is ok. if its working is it ok will it pass ? thats my concern.
the old gentleman that was helping me said if they was a fault it would not work properly which we gathered we put it right .now its fine

i will be getting a test done on my electrical at some stage its best to see to the problem now rather than later when plaster has goen up.
.

 

[SANDY HAROON]

sorry i typed in wrong info. we took 2 cables 1 was a twin and the other was a single red.
we took bothe from the first switch the single red went to the junction box on the celing and the twin went to my new spot light.

from the switch we took a twin cable to secound switch .
here we also made a loop using a red cable between 2 gangs

we earthed both back boxes again taking it from the twin cables.

is this right. well its working fine. just wating for them to go bang .
good job no one is living in the house . ive turned of the power before i left. as you see im a women im scared just in case the house blows up.
hah hah

 

[SANDY HAROON]

no ive got it wrong again.

let me work backwards.

we took 2 cables from the new spot light.1 was a twin cable and 1 was a single red cable. one cable went to a juntion box above the ceiling and the othe went to my switch box. dont remember which one went to the junction box.

2nd job we took twin and earth up to the secound stwitch . we then looped 1 gang to 2 gang using a red cable.

well im a women so it took me 4hrs to do it yes this is exactle what we did. feget the rest.

anyone out there please dont use my info because i might be wrong but its working.

ive fitted spot light in the 3 story house with transformers. plus under the steps. this is dodgey because of the air gap. ive follered the instruction on the leflet a accoureding to that i have eanough air space but it risky its under the steps. they all come with a separate transformers.

i have not plasterd over the celing yet. just going to go in one day and leave them on for up to 12hrs and pull them out and see how hot it is in the back. good luck to anyone using this info