Replacing light switch troubles.

[lloyd jones]

Hi Guys,

Newbie to the forum but I need a little help.

I have been trying to replace a light switch which is on a three way configuration. Only think is the new switch has only four terminals, please see the photo whilst the old switch had six, the problem I am having is that this switch and another I am not replacing both need to be in the on position for the light to work.

New Switch


Old switch

If anyone can help with the wiring I would be very grateful. Or have I got the wrong type of switch?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JohnD]

the old switch had six terminals? Then it was probably a 2-gang 2-way switch, as is often used to control a hall light and a landing light, either of which can be controlled from upstairs and downstairs.

If your new switch has only four terminals it is most likely a 2-gang 1-way switch, which can't do that.

A four terminal switch can also be an intermediate switch, used when there are three switches to control a light. These are rarer.

Please show us photos of the fronts of both the switches.

I hope you can identify exactly which wire went into which terminal on the old switch.

 

[lloyd jones]

Thank you JohnD.

You are absolutely correct, the switches are for hallway and landing lights.

The photo's of the front of the switches as you requested:

New switch

Old switch


As for the original wiring, I took a photo before touching anything and have also used tape to identify the different wires.

Many thanks for your advice.

 

[JohnD]

should be easy then, you just need to buy a 2-gang 2-way switch.

Each "half" will have three terminals arranged in a triangle. The "point" of the triangle might be marked "com" or "L" and is the input. The two at the base of ther triangle might be marked L1 and L2. It doesn't matter if the triangle is point up or point down (some switches have one each way to save space).

If you can't find one to match in your chosen style, there are hundreds of others, it's a very common switch.

 

[JohnD]

here's a useful pic posted earlier today on another thread (click it)

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