Removing 2 way light switch

[liszega]

Hello,

Hopefully someone will be able to assist me. Please note I have read through other posts on the subject but I am still not 100% sure...

I have a 2 way light switch system to my upstairs bathroom. One in the hallway and a second one in the master bedroom. This is because there is an extra door from the bedroom to the bathroom. I assume this silly solution was to pretend the master bedroom is en-suite

I'm now getting rid of this extra door to make space for a fitted wardrobe so I would like to put a blanking plate on the additional switch.

If possible, what I'd like to do is connect whichever wire need connecting, tape over any remaining ones and fit a blanking plate.

The switch is a 2 gang. One gang for the light and second for the bathroom fan:

Any advice on what to do with the wiring to blank the switch would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[EFLImpudence]

I take it the same arrangement operates the fan.

At the other switches, you will find two extra wires connected to L1 and L2, just connect these two other wires to Common and L1.

Disconnect ALL other wires at both switches, place in terminal blocks so they don't touch anything else.

Perhaps a photo of the other switch to be certain what you should do.

 

[liszega]

This is a photo of the other switch, it us also fused to add to my confusion...

Please advise if you need any better shots of this one.

 

[JohnW2]

At the other switches, you will find two extra wires connected to L1 and L2, just connect these two other wires to Common and L1. Disconnect ALL other wires at both switches, place in terminal blocks so they don't touch anything else.

Will the OP not have difficulty in determining which of the (presumably two) pairs of wires going to L1 and L2 at the 'other' switches are the strappers (which are to be disconnected) and which are the ones he needs to continue using?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Can you separate the wires so it is clearer?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Will the OP not have difficulty in determining which of the (presumably two) pairs of wires going to L1 and L2 at the 'other' switches are the strappers (which are to be disconnected) and which are the ones he needs to continue using?

He might which is why I asked for picture.
I presume the strappers will be the two cables with Brown,Black&Grey.

 

[liszega]

Would these be any better? Two angles here. Or did you meant to disconnect them from switch?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Just to clarify:

Does the fan only work when the light is switched on?

Is it clear to you which two cables have Brown,Black&Grey?

 

[JohnW2]

He might which is why I asked for picture. I presume the strappers will be the two cables with Brown,Black&Grey.

As you will have seen, unfortunately all of the cables appear to have brown black and grey!

If the OP does not want to, or is unable to, go to the trouble of trying to work out 'which cable is which' at the 'other' switches, an alternative approach would be to leave those other switches (and their cables) as they are and to use connector blocks to emulate the 2-way switches that he wants to remove (in the backbox of the ones he wants to remove).

Kind Regards, John

 

[liszega]

@EFLImpudence:

Does the fan only work when the light is switched on?

Did you mean when the switch gang for the fan is on? If so then yes. But as it is 2 gang you can have the fan on with no light and vice versa. But pressing the switch does switch it on and off. Hope this makes sense. I am happy to explain further is required.

Is it clear to you which two cables have Brown,Black&Grey?

Yes it is clear as the other ones have also the blue one. So I am confident I know which cables go from the main fused switch to the one I would like to remove.

@JohnW2

an alternative approach would be to leave those other switches (and their cables) as they are and to use connector blocks to emulate the 2-way switches

This would be the easiest option for me I suppose as long as you could advise which cable to connect and which to terminate.

Thank you both for your help so far, priceless!

 

[JohnW2]

This would be the easiest option for me I suppose as long as you could advise which cable to connect and which to terminate.!

If, as you have said, you can determine which of the cables at the other switches are the brown/black/grey ones, then you could do as EFLI has advised. However, if you decide that you would prefer to adopt the approach I mentioned, I can tell you what to do at the switches you want to remove.

Kind Regards, John

 

[liszega]

@JohnW2

Please kindly advice.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I have to go for a while so if you want to go with your first option, John will tell you.

 

[JohnW2]

Please kindly advice.

OK. As I said, you could do as EFLI has advised, but if you want to use the alternative approach, then ....

... leave everything at the 'other' switches (the ones you're keeping) as it is. At the switches you want to remove, you will need two "2-way' bits of connector block (or, I suppose, one 4-way bit). For each switch, take the wires currently in the COM and L1 terminal and put them together into one way of a connector block, and 'park' the (now unused) wire currently in L2 into a different way of the block. If you find that the 'other' switch then works 'upside down', swap the L1 and L2 (i.e. put the COM and L2 wires together into one bit of the block, and park L1 in another).

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Or