Replacing kitchen light switch (think it's double pole)

[jf93kf]

Hi all.

I've got a 3 gang modular light switch in my kitchen and one of the switches has broken. Unfortunately they don't sell the modules anymore so I need to replace all 3.

It seems that the existing switches are as follows: 2x 2-way and one double pole. The 2x 2-way make sense (even though only one is used as a 2-way and the other is 1-way) but I wasn't expecting the double pole since it only seems to control one set of kitchen lights. I bought 3x 2-way switches to replace but I'm having trouble working out how to transfer the double pole to the new 2-way switch.

This is the rear of the existing switch:

And this is the replacement:

Does any one have any suggestions please?


For additional context:
Switch 1: Main kitchen diner lights. 2-way with another switch elsewhere in the room. Simple replacement with new switch.
Switch 2: Kitchen cabinet lights. 1-way. Simple replacement with new switch.
Switch 3: The broken switch. Seems to be double pole but it only controls 3 additional kitchen lights and only 1-way

 

[Taylortwocities]

As it is only lights. I'd need to see the wires to be sure, but I guess that you have 2 red/brown and 2 black/blue wires.??

If so, Put the two black/blue wires in the loop terminal. Then one brown/red in COM and the other in the 1-WAY terminal.

That should do it.

 

[jf93kf]

Thanks for your reply. Here's a picture if that's helpful (very tricky to get a good angle behind there!).

Is it safe to swap a double pole for single pole in some instances? I'm trying to work out why it would have been double pole in the first place so not sure if I'm missing something.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ah. It looks like the blue wires (neutrals) are already separate.

It would need a bit of investigating to be sure, but it looks like there are two separate things being switched by that switch.
At the top, it looks like a live comes in to IN2 and then is looped to the switch next to it. OUT2 obviously goes off to something, you could disconnect the OUT2 wire and see what doesnt now work.
OUT1 at the bottom seems to be a switched live from, or to something and that switches on to IN2.
You could do some investigating, by disconnecting the OUT wirs one at a time and see what bstops working. That may make sense of it.
Maybe a fan, or another light, under cupboard maybe?

Otherwise, it may be easier to but a matching DP switch.

 

[jf93kf]

Excellent, thanks so much for your help and suggestions. I can't for the life of me see what else is being switched so I've just bought a matching DP switch so I don't go breaking anything.

Thanks again!

 

[jf93kf]

Hi again @Taylortwocities. So I just received my DP switch. I was hoping for a straight swap out but this is labelled completely differently than the previous switch. Do you have any suggestions for how I might port IN1, IN2, OUT1, OUT2 over to N, L Load, DP N, Supply L please? Many thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ignore the writing. Just wire the new one the same as the old one.
Like this..

 

[jf93kf]

That worked an absolute charm! Lights are all back and working as before. Thanks so much for your help!