lighting timer switches

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My mate has the old round pop out timer switches in a 3 story house and wants to replace them with normal switches but the switch wire is'nt marked, how do you know which one is the switch wire also do you use two way switching on all 3 floors? i.e. there's a swithch on the ground floor, 1 on the first floor and 1 on the second floor hallways. When you press 1 swith all 3 lights come on for about 2 minutes. What's the best way to replace the old swithes as the wirning is old and does not have a strapper cable connecting each switch.
 
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You would have to rewire the whole lot sorry.

That is because as you say if any switch is pressed all lights come on, now if you press a 2nd switch before the first one pops out "nothing happens" but when the first switch pops out the lights stay on because the second switch you pressed has not yet popped out

they are all wired in paralell, to have what you want you would have to run a 3core and earth from the first switch to the second then the third, you would need two two way switches and one intermeadiate.(for the middle switch)

dont suppose the land lord would take kindly to you bashing it all about (unless your mate is the land lord) and also you should get an electrcian to do it for you as it is not a domestic dwelling, which means if any thing went wrong you could be sued

why not adjust the little screw under each switch to make them stay on longer, the whole idea of them switches is to stop lights being left on unnessasarily
 
Also, how old is "old"? Is it black rubber insulated cable? Does the property actually need an entire rewire?

Out of interest, what's a "strapper cable"?
 
johnyboys' friend wiring will not have a strapper cable because it is not needed as it is now (that is also why it need to be re wired, because to do what he wants strapper cables are required)

strapper cables are the common name for the yellow and blue you find in a 3 core and earth when using it for two way switching
 
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