Dimmer switch gangs and ways ?????

[davegriff]

Can someone please explain gangs and ways ?
I would like to control 1 set of halogens in a kitchen and 1 set of halogens in a lounge from one dimmer control
I would also like to control 1 set of halogens upstairs and one set downstairs with 2 seperate dimmers controls.
What sort of controls would I need ?
very confused.

 

[steveb]

Gangs is the number of switches. eg in your passage you may have a 2 gang switch, one gang controlling your passage light and the other gang controlling your landing light.

Ways - your landing switch is usually controlled from the passage switch and the landing switch, this is known as 2 way switching

So your landing switch would be one gang 2 way and your passage switch would be 2 gang 2 way. (The 2 way circuit only being used for the landing light circuit)

Hope this helps

 

[MANDATE]

If you are still confused think of this
a simple single on/off switch one way in for the electric and 'one' way out,this is 1gang 1way,next consider a switch with one way in for the electric but 'two' ways out, as it breaks one link it makes another, this is 1gang 2way.
So you can have 1way or 2way switches, now you won't find many 1 way switches around because you can use a 2way in a 1way situation.
When you look at back of the switch a 1way has 2 terminals and 2 way has 3 (1 at top 2 at bottom)
If you have 2 switches in the same switch plate it is 2 gang and 3gang for 3 switches. So you buy a 3gang 2way switch and use them for 1 or 2way as you please.
Now when you look at the back each switch has 3 terminals but just to confuse you ther are inverted on the middle switch so don't have 3 terminals on top and 6 at the bottom .It will become clearer when you look at one.
With switches it is easy to make circuits with
1light 1switch(1way)
2lights 1switch (1 way)
1 light 2 switches (2way)
2 llights 2 switches(2way)

The term gang applies equally to sockets,metal boxes and pattresses
A 2gang socket fits a 2 gang box,we just call them a double
It's all so simple

 

[breezer]

1 gang

2 gang

patress

metal clad (switch)