Changing two way light switch to one way.

[BeerGander]

Hi, I'm after some help. I want to change an old two way light switch to a single way dimmer. The obsolete light has been removed and wiring blocked off and boxed in.

The old switch has a L1, L2, two commons and two earths (that join the wall box). The new dimmer switch only has Live, load, slave and earth. My question is how do I know what live and common to use on the new switch and which to block off?

Thanks in anticipation!

 

[andy]

common will most likely be linked between both halves. sw.live eill most likely be on their own in L1 or L2.

 

[BeerGander]

Andy, thanks.
But without wanting to sound like a muppet! Which black (L1 or L2) and which red wire(s) do I connect up to the new one way dimmer? Also should I connect both earths to the metal front plate or leave one on the backbox and one on the plate?

Cheers

 

[Adam_151]

the switch will be in two halves, its the wires that went to the half that controls the light that you want on the dimmer that you connect to the dimmer, put the other two wires in separate pieces of connector strip and push them into the switch box

Take both earths to the front plate, and take an earth 'fly-lead' to the backbox from that

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi, I'm after some help. I want to change an old two way light switch to a single way dimmer. The obsolete light has been removed and wiring blocked off and boxed in.

I take it you mean the obsolete light switch has been removed etc?

What did you do with the wires? Isolate them? Connect them in any way?

Are you sure you disconnected the switch that was just linked to the other one, and not the one with the circuit cable?

When you say "boxed in", is there now wiring buried in the wall that no-one would expect, because the switch is no longer there?

 

[BeerGander]

Adam, Cheers, I now understand.

Ban-All-Sheds, The second switch fed wall mounted lights, the lights have been removed and the wires terminated with connecting block and put in a wall mounted box and buried in the wall. (But to answer your question... yes buried in a wall that no one would expect. I assume this is a potential problem? What other option did I have, other than rip the wiring out along with the plaster?).

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ban-All-Sheds, The second switch fed wall mounted lights,

So was only one gang of the 2-gang switch you are fiddling with being used in a 2-way arrangement?

Or is there actually no 2-way switching involved at all, just a 2-gang switch?

the lights have been removed and the wires terminated with connecting block and put in a wall mounted box and buried in the wall. (But to answer your question... yes buried in a wall that no one would expect. I assume this is a potential problem? What other option did I have, other than rip the wiring out along with the plaster?).

If the wires are still live, then that is a huge real problem that could kill somebody. How exactly were the wall lights connected into the lighting circuit - how were they powered and switched?

 

[BeerGander]

Wired as Adam suggested and all wokring fine! ta

The light switch had two switches on it. One for the ceiling light and one for the two wall lights.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yeah, but that doesn't make it a 2-way switch......