Hi, I am hoping someone can help. I have had to change the light switches in my hall and landing as after 25 years the switches were loose and one fell off. I purchased 2 new ones, wrote down where all the wires were on the old switches and then put them in the same place but now I can only get the hall and the bathroom light to work. Least I didnt short anything. They are both 3 gang 2 way switches. downstairs left to right is outside light (disconnected so dont know if that would work) hall light and then 2way switch for landing and upstairs left to right is bathroom extractor fan (this is now bathroom light and works) middle was bathroom light but does nothing now and end was 2way for landing light (doesnt work). The back of the old switch looks different to the new ones and I have read some posts but I dont really understand how to convert the wires and dont want to just start messing moving wires round on a guess so am hoping some one can tell me how to resolve as i cant really afford to have to get an electrician out for this but I need to get the landing light working for the kids on a night. I have added pictures of whats in place now.
Changing Light Switch Issues (Ed.)
- Thread starter col11
- Start date
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Top row 1 2 -- COM --1 2
Bot row COM - 1 2 -- COM
Bot row COM - 1 2 -- COM
Can you post a pic of note showing previous layout?
ok so putting the wires in the same holes should have worked as my new one has the same layout, just has L22 for example where the old one has L2. So clearly I have messed up somewhere either when writing down where the wires go or have put something back in the wrong place. 
Is there anything obvious you can see from the pictures I posted? if not any guidance on what should go where? or am i going to have to live with no landing light until I can save up for an electrician to come an sort it . I replaced all the covers on the single light switches and plug sockets in the house with no issues and was dead proud of myself but clearly a 3 gang 2 way has beat me.
Is there anything obvious you can see from the pictures I posted? if not any guidance on what should go where? or am i going to have to live with no landing light until I can save up for an electrician to come an sort it . I replaced all the covers on the single light switches and plug sockets in the house with no issues and was dead proud of myself but clearly a 3 gang 2 way has beat me.
The first digit, after the L, in the L22, the 2 in the middle, denote the switch number. Your new one, will be L1? for switch 1, L2 for switch 2, L3 for switch 3. Rest of the terminals, will follow the same convention, COM1, COM2, and COM3
Can you confirm the first 3 pictures are the old switches before you disconnected them, the fourth pic is your new switch and upsatirs and downstairs are the same make of switch and your note is how it was connected before you started rather than after you finished.
@jj4091 Hi. the first 3 pictures are the new sockets connected based on my notes before I disconnected the old sockets. the socket picture is the old socket. I have no idea if they are the same brand, the old ones were in the house when we moved in years and years ago and the new ones I purchased from B&Q. thanks
Have you still got the old switches?
(They are not sockets)
Each two-way switch has three terminals, arranged in a triangle, and three wires.
Once you know this, you can look at the back and you will recognise them.
Modern two-gang plates with two switches on one faceplate often have one triangle point up, and one point down. A three-gang switch will have one up, one down, and the last up.
Some have all triangles the same way up.
Each one-way switch only needs two wires and two terminals. You can use a two way switch, just using two of the terminals.
(They are not sockets)
Each two-way switch has three terminals, arranged in a triangle, and three wires.
Once you know this, you can look at the back and you will recognise them.
Modern two-gang plates with two switches on one faceplate often have one triangle point up, and one point down. A three-gang switch will have one up, one down, and the last up.
Some have all triangles the same way up.
Each one-way switch only needs two wires and two terminals. You can use a two way switch, just using two of the terminals.
Your notes show both switches as having 4 holes across the top and 5 across the bottom.
I can't see the photos of the new switches very well but it looks to me as though the upstairs one has 4 holes across the top and 5 across the bottom.
As JohnD says you have to be very careful about getting the triangles (which form the individual switches) correct.
Edit: I got this wrong, please see a (hopefuly) better post below.
I can't see the photos of the new switches very well but it looks to me as though the upstairs one has 4 holes across the top and 5 across the bottom.
As JohnD says you have to be very careful about getting the triangles (which form the individual switches) correct.
Edit: I got this wrong, please see a (hopefuly) better post below.
Last edited:
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