Removing 2 way switch.

[simcfc73]

Hi,

I'm looking at removing a light switch that we no longer need as ive plastered up the doorway its next to. (Looks stupid stuck in the middle of the wall)

I'm reading up on it but thought I'd ask on here too for advice while I plough through the internet.

The light I want to remove has a single wire to it.

Common - grey
1 - black with red sleeve
2 - red

The light switch I am keeping ( currently a dimmer but changing to a standard switch ) has 2 cables

1 - Red
2 - black with red sleeve
common - 2 red

Advice would be great

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are you sure of the colours at the switch you are keeping? The 3-core & earth at the other switch will be grey black and brown, not red.

Are both the cables at the dimmer twin and earth, or is one 3C+E?

What cables are there at the light these switches control?

 

[Iggifer]

Are you sure of the colours at the switch you are keeping? The 3-core & earth at the other switch will be grey black and brown, not red.

Could be t+e plus a single red/black without any sheath stripped off.

Sounds like feed at one switch, switch wire at the other and t+e between. Which is bad news for the OP

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Could be t+e plus a single red/black without any sheath stripped off.

The light [me]I assume he means the switch[/me] I want to remove has a single wire to it.

Some browns are heading redwards..

Sounds like feed at one switch, switch wire at the other and t+e between. Which is bad news for the OP

It doesn't sound straightforward.

Details of what's at the light, and photos would be useful.

 

[sparkwright]

Hi,



The light I want to remove has a single wire to it.

Common - grey
1 - black with red sleeve
2 - red

Can you clarify the above statement?
I take it you meant light switch?

Are you sure this is one cable? I would expect the grey to be one cable, and the red and black to be another cable.

Sounds to me like old fashioned 'northern' wiring.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It could be Grey, Black and Brown.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It could be Grey, Black and Brown.

Some browns are heading redwards..

 

[simcfc73]

I've taken some pictures, apologies, the cable to the dimmer switch I want to keep is a single 4 core.

The cable at the switch I want to remove looks like a twin and earth and a separate single cable.

Dimmer Cable


Redundant Switch I want to remove

Cables at lamp

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I've taken some pictures, apologies, the cable to the dimmer switch I want to keep is a single 4 core.

The light switch I am keeping ( currently a dimmer but changing to a standard switch ) has 2 cables

The cable at the switch I want to remove looks like a twin and earth and a separate single cable.

The light I want to remove has a single wire to it.

Common - grey
1 - black with red sleeve
2 - red

"Grey"? Really?

I'm out.

You can't even describe what you have, let alone understand it. It's Plan A or Plan B time - you either learn how it all works and positively identify all the conductors, or you get an electrician.

I'm sure that there will be some here who will try to enable you to fiddle with things which are outwith your competence, but I am not as morally bereft as them. If they do, good luck with trying to do electrical work on the basis of blindly following instructions to put-this-wire-in-that-hole without having a clue as to why.

 

[JohnW2]

"Grey"? Really?

Are you talking about the fat one on the left? If so, it certainly looks like grey on my screen - what are you seeing?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm seeing brown.

Indubitably.

Using Instant Eyedropper at no point do I pick up RGB values which are anywhere near close enough to each other to be any shade of grey.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm seeing brown. Indubitably. Using Instant Eyedropper at no point do I pick up RGB values which are anywhere near close enough to each other to be any shade of grey.

Interesting. The top ~40% in the version you posted does look a little 'brownish' on my screen, but it is in partial shadow and I therefore thought that was the reason. Whatever the RGB may be, I have to say that, for the bottom ~40% in that picture, I would not have dreamed of regarding it as anything other than grey!

So, whatever the explanation, the OP is certainly not alone in thinking it is grey!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Using Instant Eyedropper at no point do I pick up RGB values which are anywhere near close enough to each other to be any shade of grey.

It still looks very grey to my eyes (on my screen), but I agree that it's a bit short on blue - about the 'greyest' I can find is ...

Kind Regards, John

 

[FrodoOne]

From its dimensions (as compared to the visible Red and Black[Red-sheathed] insulated conductors) the colour of the third single conductor "cable" at the redundant switch in Picture 4 is that of its TPS, under which there will be insulation of another colour (possibly Red) covering the actual conductor.

Surely, this must be the single wire cable going to the light fitting.

It still looks very grey to my eyes

Which is the colour of some TPS.

 

[sparkwright]

It's grey.

No doubt about it.

I think the confusion stems from the original post that stated that switch contained one cable.

Grey of course is the colour of the sheath of that cable, as already commented on.

I too would guess that grey goes to the light.

I would guess that at the OTHER SWITCH, which you want to keep, the two reds in one terminal are the main live feed.

This makes removing that switch extremely difficult.

If you were to simply form a joint here, you then have the problem of wires then being plastered over, and invisible for anyone drilling holes in the wall in the future.

It's likely these cables will not form a 'safe cable zone'.

A blank plate, possibly painted, won't look great, but be ok for you.

Otherwise you will have to gain access above the ceiling above that switch, and fit a junction box.