Help needed going from 4 gang to 2 gang light switch.

[Dasmith]

Hi all, please go easy on me as this is my first post.
I currently have a 4 gang 1 way light switch in my living room, 2 of the switches are for the 4 downlights and 2 of the switches do 4 wall lights. What I would like to do is completely do away with the wall lights altogether and just leave the downlights (her indoors is wanting new fittings though). So I need to put a 2 gang in the place of the current switch.
I will be removing the cables for the wall lights from the junction box supply under the floor boards upstairs, and plastering over where the wall lights are now.
I've looked behind the current switch and have got a diagram of how it's wired up now, but would like some help on how it should be with just the ceiling lights. I have a diagram but don't know how to add on her, so if someone could point me in the right direction I could show that. Thanks in advance.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Remove the live feed from the COM tgerminals on the two right hand switches (for the wall lights.)
Remove the red and yellow conductors from the L1 terminals on the two right hand switches.
Remove the red and yellow conductors from the JB under the floor

That will leave you with two switches for the ceiling lights. You'll need a new smaller back box for the 2 gang switch.

Also remove the neutrals from the wall lights.
Where do the wall lights get their neutral from? Is that from the JB under the floor?

 

[Dasmith]

Thanks Taylortwocities for your prompt reply. Does the blue cable have to be removed too? The 2 blacks that are in a choc block, do they stay in that? Sorry for the inexperienced questions, but would just like pointing in the right direction. Could you explain what you mean regarding the wall lights getting their neutrals from please.

Thanks.

 

[Taylortwocities]

From your diagram, if the two left hand switches are for the ceiling lights, then the blue wire MUST be for one or more of the ceiling lights. I guess one switch does some lights and the other does the rest?? So you need to keep it the blue wire or you'll lose some of the ceiling lights.

If the drawing is correct, you need to keep the two blacks in the block. That is the neutral for the ceiling lights that are controlled by the left hand switch.

Again. If your drawing is correct, I do not see a neutral in the switch for the wall lights or for the downlights that are controlled by the blue wire. So the neutral for those must come from somewhere else - your mystery JB, I guess.

Post a photo of the

junction box supply under the floor boards upstairs

so we can see it.

 

[Dasmith]

Thanks for the very prompt reply again. Ill take a pic of the JB tomorrow and post, currently doing my day job!! Thanks again.

 

[Dasmith]

Before I take the pic, ill double check my diagram, but think its correct as I took an age making sure I got it right. Thanks.

 

[securespark]

No need to rip out the box. You could do with the extra space for that wiring.

Buy a Click CMA432 plate and fit two MD002PW switch modules either side of an MD008PW blank module.

Plate: https://www.electrical2go.co.uk/mode-triple-aperture-double-minigrid-plate.html

Blank: https://www.electrical2go.co.uk/minigrid-polar-blank-ingot-module-md008pw.html

Switch: https://www.electrical2go.co.uk/minigrid-polar-2-way-10ax-ingot-switch-md002pw.html

 

[Dasmith]

Hi Taylortwocities, I've found the junction box, (there is actually 2 that I think are of interest). All the cables going into them are actually labelled up and I've included them in my diagram. At least the original sparky did that. I'll post a pic of the JB's & my diagram too.
I re checked the light switch and that is how I've drawn it on the original post.
Thanks once again for your help.

 

[Taylortwocities]

OK. Disconnect at the switch as above.

On the JB, disconnect wires as in the image below, also the earth wires associated with the wall lights. That should release the 3 wall light cables free of the JB.

If you fancied another project, you should then have enough spare terminals to re-do the wiring and eliminate the second junction box (the one on the right).

 

[Dasmith]

Thanks Taylortwocities, your a superstar!! One last and final point, hopefully. Earlier you mention "Remove the red and yellow conductors from the JB under the floor", do i still do this as its not marked on your diagram? and can i terminate the yellow and red in seperate blocks at the wall switch? Thanks again for all your advice, you've been very helpful.

Read more: //www.diynot.com/diy/threads/h...-to-2-gang-light-switch.451902/#ixzz3yRfav3wR

 

[Taylortwocities]

They can stay, if you are removing them from at the switch end. Note the blue wire and the earth needs to stay!
You could just cut them back at the JB end, if you want to liberate two of the terminals!

 

[Dasmith]

Thanks for all your help. Your a star.

 

[securespark]

If you have disused conductors at the switch position that are not being (or cannot be) drawn out, best practice is to sleeve them as earths and connect them to the box earthing terminal. Connect the other ends to earth in the JB.