4 gang light switch

[Adam5555]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to replace an old 4-gang dimmer switch with just normal switches but after loosening the faceplate, the wiring has me slightly confused.

When I've done this in the past it has usually been fairly straightforward and I would just replicate exactly this in the new switch, however this time I want to make sure I understand why this is wired as it is, before I touch anything else..

1. Firstly all the wires into the back of the dimmer switches are red (picture 1). Is this right? There is one black (which runs straight through the back box - see picture 2), and the earth of course.
2. Secondly there appears to be a couple a 'jumper' wire running between switch one L2 and switch 2 C. All switches are one-way by the way.
3. The two white dimmer modules on the left don't seem to have any markings for C, L1 or L2, how do i know which wire is which?

Any advice welcome!

 

[plugwash]

It looks like your wiring is done with singles in conduit, in such cases it's not unusual for all live wires to be red. It's also not unusual for one incoming permanent live wire to feed more than one switch, hence the jumper.

Label everything very carefully before disconnecting, untangling which wires are which after losing track of things would not be fun.

 

[winston1]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to replace an old 4-gang dimmer switch with just normal switches but after loosening the faceplate, the wiring has me slightly confused.

When I've done this in the past it has usually been fairly straightforward and I would just replicate exactly this in the new switch, however this time I want to make sure I understand why this is wired as it is, before I touch anything else..

1. Firstly all the wires into the back of the dimmer switches are red (picture 1). Is this right? There is one black (which runs straight through the back box - see picture 2), and the earth of course.
2. Secondly there appears to be a couple a 'jumper' wire running between switch one L2 and switch 2 C. All switches are one-way by the way.
3. The two white dimmer modules on the left don't seem to have any markings for C, L1 or L2, how do i know which wire is which?

Any advice welcome!

1. That is one way of doing it.
2. Jumper wires are quite common, probably the permanent live for the right hand dimmers. They are all 2 way as far as I can see though wired as one way.
3. I can see a 1 and 2 on the modules on the left. Are you sure they are dimmers?

 

[Adam5555]

1. That is one way of doing it.
2. Jumper wires are quite common, probably the permanent live for the right hand dimmers. They are all 2 way as far as I can see though wired as one way.
3. I can see a 1 and 2 on the modules on the left. Are you sure they are dimmers?

Thanks for your replies gents. Yes I’ll photograph, label and photograph again probably to try not to lose track of things!

The two left hand switches (white backs) are dimmers on the front but one does a ceiling fan on/off and the other does some external lights which are currently not working and the circuit is switched off in the board.

Oh you are right I hadn’t spotted the 1,2, 3 etc. Are the two in line l1 and l2 do you think and the one at the top out of line com?

If so presuming I replicate exactly on the new switch it should be ok then?!

Thanks again!