Little help with 3 gang switch wiring

[go3asy]

So I live in a new build and the house builder installed some additional wiring up to 2 blank faceplates which I’ve attached a photo of the first of the 2 blanks. They are above the kitchen cabinets with the idea being if I ever wanted to install lights under the cabinets they said all I need to do is put A 3 gang switch in place of the 2 gang there at the moment for the 2 ceiling lights.

I have now installed some Philips Hue light strips under my cabinets which I have plugged into the normal sockets (taking up the only 2 spares I had - wife no so keen ) which means the wires come down and are visibleas is the large transformer plugs. Plugging them in at the top hidden away is the perfect solution. So I have got 2 single unswitched sockets to replace the blanks with which I’m fairly confident with - they are literally a strait swap and wires the same as the current blank faceplates. Attached a photo behind the first blank the wire comes to from the switch and then it feeds the 2nd blank.

What I’m not so sure about is the switch going from 2 gang to the 3 gang (attached). From what I see behind the current switch (attached) are 2 feeds coming into it?? Not sure what this is for... and the feed is looped across 3 ports called L1 L2 and L3 which on the new switch I think would be the COM ports? It’s a one way switch no other switches control these lights. The 2 single love wires I assume are for the 2 current ceiling lights. So I think I just wire as is with the lights in the L1 ports on the reverse of the new switch including the unconnected wire that runs up to the blanks I’m replacing then have the feed some into switch 1 and out from switch 3s COM looped in the middle Switch?

At the moment there’s is 2 separate connector blocks both with neutrals in. Guessing I’d squeeze in the new neutral beside the other 2 coming from the ceiling light wires. There’s also an earch behind there thats connected to a block and not actually earthed and another earth including the one from the unconnected wire they’ve already earthed to the metal box. I think it’s looped up with the 2 earth wires from the ceiling lights.

I know it’s long winded but am I on the right track?

Also I do know your not supposed to install a 13a socket on a lighting circuit but the hue lights have a 12v transformer style plug that can’t be changed for a 5v one. The sockets are nearly ceiling level hidden up top of the cabinets so unlikely anyone would use for anything high powered and I do plan on labelling the sockets 5A MAX LIGHTING.

If I get any of it wrong what’s the worst that could happen? Would it just trip the breaker?

 

[JohnD]

I think it’s looped up with the 2 earth wires from the ceiling lights.

Find out.

It is actually not forbidden

Has anybody given you a sensible reason not to?

No?

 

[go3asy]

It’s not he best photo I know. What problems can the 13a socket cause? If it’s only to power the led light strips that use 20w? The circuit is all RCD protected

 

[bernardgreen]

CAUTION

The two cables behind the 13 amp socket need to be checked as to EXACTLY what they are before you connect anything.

It is possible that one cable is a feed from the consumer unit and the other cable goes to the switch. If that is the case and you connect Blue to Blue and Brown to Brown in the terminals of the 13 amp socket and then switch the new switch on there will be a short circuit from Live to Neutral in the switch.

 

[go3asy]

The 2nd cable behind the blank feeds the 2nd socket behind the other cabinet. Just about 5ft along from that socket.

 

[go3asy]

Dear go3easy. Please be aware that there has been much discussion about this little issue.
Winston has a very short attention span and he (conveniently) forgets anything that does not meet up with his personal position on how the World should be run (ie rules according to Winston).

BS 7671 actually SPECIFICALLY ALLOWS a BS1363-2 socket to be attached to a lighting circuit.
Winston, please see regulation 559.6.1.1
Winston will also tell you that an FCU (BS1363-4) must not be attached to a lighting circuit. Well it jolly well can.

So if you need a 13A square pin socket on your lighting circuit, then go ahead. Winston will warn, "what if someone plugs a MIG welder, or an induction hob into the socket!!??".
Well, nothing will happen, as the circuit will be protected by a 6A current-limiting device (MCB, etc)

I may be able to provide a better guidance on how to answer your original question, can you provide a better picture of the wiring behind the switch. Specifically, is there a terminal block there with a lot of blue (neutral) wires in it?

And, do you have a voltage tester, like a multimeter (NOT a neon screwdriver)?

Unfortunately I don’t have a tester. What would be something worth picking up from screw fox for instance?

I’m at work so can’t get a better photo just now but yes the blue wires behind the existing 2 gang switch are connected to terminal blocks, 2 of. Not sure why there is 2 separate terminal blocks but could just be a space thing?? It’s quite jammed behind the switch.

I do have a neighbor in the same style of house and they put in the same blanks above cabinets for the same reason if he ever wanted to install cabinet lights but rather than give him the 2 gang kitchen switch and leave it unconnected they fitted a 3 gang and connected it all up - although obviously true extra switch does nothing as he’s just got the blank faceplates.

We had a look at the wiring configuration as it’s house be the same as mine the photo behind his is attached. The only thing different from how I imagined it should be connected up is he doesn’t have the extra earch going into a terminal block behind the switch and not actually earthed to anything. His 2 earths are both earthed to the box. One of my earth wires just goes to a terminal block. All his blue wires also go into the same terminal block I have 2 separate blocks splitting them. From what I can see though the 2 existing light wires and the unconnected wires behind my switch is the 3 earths twisted the earthed to the box. The other I’m not sure about what that’s for I didn’t have time last night.

I was starting to doubt myself after some of the posts with the 13a socket on the lighting circuit and wondering if I should just take a feed form the sockets below the cabinets up the wall into the new single sockets and just ignore the wiring the building left to the switch!

 

[go3asy]

In general it would look like whoever wired up the switches in my neighbours house was much tidier, mine is a bit of a jammed mess

You can see from my photo the earth that’s going to the connector block. The other that’s earthed to the box is in the back. Took the photo from a poor angle! Didn’t want to pull things out too far. 2 of the live wires come out as it was and I had to re insert and properly tighten the terminal!

 

[go3asy]

Sorry I have just noticed some of the horrendous typos/auto corrects from posting this on my phone ... screw fox hopefully makes sense

 

[Taylortwocities]

wondering if I should just take a feed form the sockets below the cabinets up the wall into the new single sockets

If it were my house, I would like to be able to turn all the lights on and off from the one switch, or you'll be trailing round the kitchen clicking switches all the time.

Lets have a better pic of the wiring behind the switch.

If you are doing electrical work, you need some basic equipment! A basic multimeter will be all you need. Something like
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-mas830b-digital-multimeter-600v/75337

 

[go3asy]

Actually having looked back properly my neighbour only has the single feed coming into the switch wheras I appear to have 2, 2 lives coming into the first COM looped and 2 out so there's some differences in how his place has been wired

 

[go3asy]

If it were my house, I would like to be able to turn all the lights on and off from the one switch, or you'll be trailing round the kitchen clicking switches all the time.

Lets have a better pic of the wiring behind the switch.

If you are doing electrical work, you need some basic equipment! A basic multimeter will be all you need. Something like
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-mas830b-digital-multimeter-600v/75337

The switched will be permanently on to be fair. Rarely switched off, the whole kitchen is the Philips hue system which is controlled by a wireless switch mounted right beside the actual light switch. The hue lights dont like having the power switched off to them they resat back tot he 100% white setting on all bulbs and the kitchen is like a floodlit stadium.

 

[go3asy]

This https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-mas8...l+Content&utm_content=TextLink&utm_term=58258 and this https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ms6860d-socket-tester/91596 maybe worth buying then?

 

[go3asy]

Yes, in the Laws according to Winston.

bloody hell what did I start.

The sockets are about 3 inches from the ceiling completely inaccessible above a kitchen cabinet lol unless you have a latter of course

 

[Taylortwocities]

You didn't start anything. Its been ongoing for too long.

 

[JohnD]

you are permitted to do it. Adding a durable sign such as you describe is very sensible.