Pull switch removal

[JohnW2]

Do you not think the pull switch looks like a double pole; do they make intermediate pull switches?

I thought the same as sparkright, that one of the four holes was probably unused.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Nik0967]

I will post one on here tomorrow. It's not a dimmer

Thanks
Nik

 

[JohnW2]

I have no Idea what happened to the cord as it was missing when I moved in. The cord is not visible at all so I am unable now or in the past to use it. When I say working normal I mean what you would expect a switch to do when you use it. Click the switch down the light comes on. Click the switch up the light goes out.

Thanks - that's all as I suspected from what you had said.

There are no problems between the rooms as far as turning the lights on and off via the wall switches.

Do these two rooms both have light switches - and, if so, do you know which (or both) is 'related' to the pull switch? If there are two switches, do I take it that each switch just controls the light in one of the rooms?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Nik0967]

Do these two rooms both have light switches - Yes
Do you know which (or both) is 'related' to the pull switch? - Don't know
If there are two switches, do I take it that each switch just controls the light in one of the rooms? - Yes

 

[JohnW2]

Do you know which (or both) is 'related' to the pull switch? - Don't know

Thanks for the answers. As regards the above question, is the pull switch in one of the rooms that has a light switch?

I think one of the problems we're going to have is that, as I understand it, since you've never been able to operate that pulls witch, I presumke that you don't really actually know for sure whether or not it has got anything to do with the lights/switches in either of the rooms - it might possibly have been for something totally different! I therefore suspect that we are going to struggle to give you much advice 'at a distance'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Nik0967]

Yes the pull switch is in one of the rooms that has a light switch.

I'm guessing the pull switch is for the lights as there is a pull switch above the bed in the bedroom. I know that one did turn the light on and off in the Bedroom. My partner got fed up with the cord and decided to cut that one right back the clever girl!!!

 

[securespark]

FWIW, my guess is that there are T&E strappers (travelers for PBC) between the two switches, then at the wall switch a feed is piggy-backed off the switch next door and at the rose the switchwire links to the pull cord.

 

[JohnW2]

FWIW, my guess is that there are T&E strappers (travelers for PBC) between the two switches, then at the wall switch a feed is piggy-backed off the switch next door and at the rose the switchwire links to the pull cord.

Not impossible. The problems is obviously that none of us can do anything other than speculate. As I've said, we do not even know for certain that the pull switch has got anything to do with the lighting! It wouldn't take most of us very long on site with a meter to work out what is going on - but, 'at a distance' .... !!

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

Only today I removed a 2 way wall switch which had the common terminal next to L1, and L2 at the opposite end.

So the chances are this 2 way system is in full working order, and we MAY be fussing over nothing.

 

[JohnW2]

So the chances are this 2 way system is in full working order, and we MAY be fussing over nothing.

It's probably a 2-way switching system, it may be "in full working order", the unused pull switch may be related to the wall switch in the same room and there may (or may not) be JBs somewhere in the equation - but there is a lot of uncertainty there!

We are 'fussing' because the OP asked for advice on how to decommission' the pull-switch - but, without turning all those uncertainties into certainties, I would suggest that we can't really advise him, at a distance, what to do.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Taylortwocities]

Looks like we aren't making much progress.

Something to try (you can always put it back if I am wrong).
You are going to need a piece of insulated terminal block. (3way)

Turn the power off to the lighting circuit at the fuseboard.

Connect the black to one of the reds in the terminal block
Put the other red in a separate bit of terminal block
Connect the two earth wires together in another separate bit of terminal block.
Turn the power back on.
If the wall switch seems to operate upside down, then swop over the two reds.

 

[JohnW2]

Looks like we aren't making much progress. ... Something to try (you can always put it back if I am wrong). ..... If the wall switch seems to operate upside down, then swop over the two reds.

If that test resulted in the behaviour you/we suspect, it would certainly allow us to understand what is going on at the two switches.

However, even if your test confirms that the pull swith is a functioing 'two-way-parner' of the wall switch in the room, I'm a little uncertain/concerned as what we are then going to advise the OP to do. With only that information, the only thing I can think of (but wouldn't regard as remotely 'nice') would be to put the conductors into an MF JB, with one pair connected as now, and then push the JB up through a hole in the ceiling (and then 'entomb it' with a ceiling repair) after removing the pull switch.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Taylortwocities]

Indeed. Thought it would be worth trying that first, followed by a final, proper solution

 

[Nik0967]

Sorry for the delay in replying

I have had a look at the switch and can tell you the following

Black goes into the com on the switch
Red goes into the 2 way on the switch
Red with Sleeve goes into 1 way switch


I have attached a pic I drew of what it looks like in the loft I hope it makes sense???

 

[Taylortwocities]

Not really. To work outwhat everything is connected we would want to know what wires are connected to what at each of the points.

Did you try my suggestion?, that may bypass the need to do any of this……