3 gang 2 way switch fitting

[Gamp]

Hi people,
I'm in the process of replacing all my switches in my hall stairs and landing with volex stainless steel flat plate flat plate. I did have a 3 gang switch which controlled a light on the landing, a light in the hall and an outside light. Incidently, there is also a switch controlling the landing light on the landing. I am having trouble replacing the downstairs switch with my new 3 gang 2way 10ax switch. There are 2 lots of 3 core and earth and a twin and earth coming into the terminal box, its certainly is not a straight swap like the other sockets/switches...please help...i'm scared of the dark!

 

[ColJack]

of course it's a straight swap.. you made a note of what goes where, you identicy what on the new switch corresponds to what on the old switch, and you swap like for like....
and hey presto it works..

if you want help you're going to have to provide much more information about what you had, what you have and provide photo's of both as well as the wires.

 

[holmslaw]

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[Gamp]

hhmm, yes well i thought i was doing a straight swap but when i changed them over my new switch back plate has nine terminals arranged in three triangles quite different to the old one, also, there is a single piece of red cable going from one terminal in the back plate to another and the blue cable from one 3 core and earth is connetced to the black cable form the twin and earth with a choc bloc.

 

[holmslaw]

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[ban-all-sheds]

hhmm, yes well i thought i was doing a straight swap but when i changed them over my new switch back plate has nine terminals arranged in three triangles quite different to the old one,

The old one would have had 9 terminals too, and there aren't that many different ways they can be laid out.

They will also all be labelled COM/L1/L2, or L1/L2/L3.

You should be able to tell from which cables are in which groups of terminals how they are laid out - basically it'll be in triangles, either all the same way up, so 3 terminals along one side and 6 along the other, or one inverted, i.e. 4 along one side and 5 along the other, but you should be able to identify 3 groups of COM/L1/L2 or L1/L2/L3, and it's just a case of transferring the conductors to the corresponding positions on the new switch.

also, there is a single piece of red cable going from one terminal in the back plate to another and the blue cable from one 3 core and earth is connetced to the black cable form the twin and earth with a choc bloc.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting

 

[Gamp]

ok, yes well i thought i had mentally noted where each cable went but obviously I have now forgotten, trust me, I won't rush into it again, heres a few pics which may help
//www.diynot.com/network/Gamp/albums/

 

[Gamp]

btw holmslaw, legendry pic, made me chuckle

 

[holmslaw]

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[holmslaw]

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[Gamp]

no idea, had a quick look on the web, pic been used plenty of times, no original refrences..btw ure last post sorted my issue, many thanks!!!

 

[holmslaw]

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