Lightswitch Wiring Help - 3 gang to 2 gang

[D J Fryer]

In the lounge of my house there is a 3 gang light switch, each switch operating a separate light. 2 of the switches operate 2 separate wall lights on the same wall, the remaining operates the ceiling light.

I want to replace the 3 gang switch with an IR 2 gang dimmer (I think its a Varilight) and have both wall lights operated by 1 of the 2 'gangs' with the remaining operating the ceiling light.

I will be using new wall fittings with one 40W candle bulb in each. I planned on just taking the current wiring from the current wall lights and putting them into the one gang rather than the two separate of the current 3 gang switch.

Is this okay/safe? The new switch is rated to accept greater than 80W per gang so I assume it is safe but am not sure.

 

[plugwash]

should be ok as long as the lights are on the same cuircuit and have been wired correctly

 

[breezer]

am i misreading, but will there only be 2 x 40 watt lamps on this dimmer?

if so

The new switch is rated to accept greater than 80W per gang

change them to 60, as 2 x 40 is 80, and it wants greater than 80 w not 80 w

 

[D J Fryer]

plugwash - I assume so too having just taken the faceplate off it's probably not very good, there is a wooden housing (must be ancient) and all the wiring bar one core is red! Typical! I have a photo if anyone can host it cos it doesn't look as easy as I thought now!

breezer - sorry - that's just badly written. What I mean by that is that there will only be 80W worth of bulbs for one gang (the wall lights) but the dimmer can handle more than that per gang so I won't be overloading the switch. I don't think there is a stated minimum wattage.

 

[plugwash]

mmm all reds yuck

how many wires are there?
does one wire look like it is looping to one terminal of every gang?

 

[D J Fryer]

Yep - there is one thick (I mean noticeably thicker than the rest) red wire that goes in and out of one 'Common' of one one gang which is then connected to the Common of the next gang which is then connected to the Common of the third. There are then 3 separate wires (2 red and 1 white) that are connected to the L1 terminals of each gang. I have noticed quite quickly that there does not appear to be an earth......

 

[plugwash]

white?!

afaict white hasn't been used as a mains wire color in the uk for a long time if ever!
and you have no earth either!


i don't like to be the bearer of bad news but it looks like you a rewire of at least your lighting and possiblly the rest of your wiring too

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sounds like it's wired with singles, and the live feed is larger than the others, either so it can carry more current (probably a tad unnecessary) or to make it easier to identify which is which. Or it's just random because that's what the sparky had in the back of his cart.....

There's nothing wrong with all reds - at least it avoids the confusion of unmarked blacks.

And two people in one day with white cables in their lighting - who'd have thought it?

Anyway - it'll all get sorted when it's rewired to fix the no-earth problem.

 

[D J Fryer]

Thanks guys - advice is that I need a rewire then? If so what sort of disruption to décor/flooring etc is involved?

Just had our kitchen done and the electrician installed a new board with trip switches etc specifically for the kitchen (cooker, sockets and lights).

The rest of the wiring to the box that does the rest of the house looks quite modern so I am suprised its so out of date at the socket/switch end of things

 

[plugwash]

seems like your lights definately need a rewire

its not that hard just look at the diagrams of a lighting cuircuit in for refernce

imo new install is easier than small alterations because you don't have to know or care about all the different bodges that people do

whether the other cuircuits need rewireing would require a lot more information to tell

 

[D J Fryer]

seems like your lights definately need a rewire

its not that hard just look at the diagrams of a lighting cuircuit in for refernce

imo new install is easier than small alterations because you don't have to know or care about all the different bodges that people do

whether the other cuircuits need rewireing would require a lot more information to tell

Thanks Plugwash, sorry for all the newbie like questions but Google returns this fourm high up on searches so here I came with my queries

Better dig out my Reader's Digest DIY manual!

 

[securespark]

Are you sure, Ban, that Not & DJ don't live in the same house???????

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://www.rod-serling.com/wav/tzone/seas2/seas2b.wav

 

[D J Fryer]

Now the only 'old' lighting downstairs is the hall and lounge lights (the kitchen/diner is on a new separate circuit) is this a potential DIY job? I could do with learning how and would also like to be able to plaster so making any new channels would be a way of easing me in to that too!

 

[breezer]

3 guesses why we have a for reference post