Replacing old double light switch with new, odd wiring?

[jezThomp]

Simple back story..

We have a double switch for our bathroom that controls the extractor fan (left switch of 2) and the bathroom lights (right switch of 2). We need to replace it as its bust basically.

Anyway i buy a Double 2 Way switch to replace it (picture below)

Anyway i take off the cover and are met with this...

NO blue or brown, only seems to be 1 gang even though its a 2 button switch....

Taken off...

So 2 red wires seem to be going into the top right 2 and the bottom middle 2 with the other red wire going into the top left common as well.

The earth and i’m assuming neutral are not even connected to the switch.

Now i suppose the simple question is can i use the above wiring in my new 10Amp Double 2 Way switch and if not what type of switch should i be after..?

Or is it a case of simply swapping over the numbers from the old switch to the new however, on the new switch which of the common would have the 2 wires in?

Thank you for any help

 

[Pete999]

Simple back story..

We have a double switch for our bathroom that controls the extractor fan (left switch of 2) and the bathroom lights (right switch of 2). We need to replace it as its bust basically.

Anyway i buy a Double 2 Way switch to replace it (picture below)

Anyway i take off the cover and are met with this...

NO blue or brown, only seems to be 1 gang even though its a 2 button switch....

Taken off...

So 2 red wires seem to be going into the top right 2 and the bottom middle 2 with the other red wire going into the top left common as well.

The earth and i’m assuming neutral are not even connected to the switch.

Now i suppose the simple question is can i use the above wiring in my new 10Amp Double 2 Way switch and if not what type of switch should i be after..?

Or is it a case of simply swapping over the numbers from the old switch to the new however, on the new switch which of the common would have the 2 wires in?

Thank you for any help

If you are askng that sort of question you should be employing an electrician

 

[jezThomp]

Link the commons, and connect the LIVE in one of the common terminals, the other wires go in the two terminals marked 1 way

Thank you for replying

Sorry link the commons, as it is on the old one?
The live as in the red one, which red one?
Other wires the rest of the red?
Am i ignoring the black and green/yellow ones?

 

[Pete999]

Thank you for replying

Sorry link the commons, as it is on the old one?
The live as in the red one, which red one?
Other wires the rest of the red?
Am i ignoring the black and green/yellow ones?

Yes, the red that was connected to the link in the old switch, SWITCH THE ELECTRICITY OFF FIRST BEFORE DOING ANY WORK

 

[Taylortwocities]

Your old switch is laid out differently to the new one.

The new one is obviously two switches .
The old one is laid out like this

So you'll need to transpose the wiring by 180degrees on one side.

I hope you carefully marked which red is which before you removed them...............

 

[Octopus]

It's the good old try anything and bang test ..

 

[DJ Ovengloves]

He’s got a picture

Your old switch is laid out differently to the new one.

The new one is obviously two switches .
The old one is laid out like this

So you'll need to transpose the wiring by 180degrees on one side.

I hope you carefully marked which red is which before you removed them...............

 

[Amateur]

To simplify it for you, the red coming into the metal box that goes to "common" is your permanent live. When you flick the switch it makes the contact so the power can go back out through the other red in the "1 way" terminal to the light or fan. The small red cable on picture 2 in both commons is there to share the permanent live when switched on between the fan and light so one live wire is feeding two items.

Incoming wires

1 of red - Permanent live
1 of red - Switched live
1 of red - Switched live

As stated above hopefully you know which is which. It might be better posting this sort of thing in the DIY forum in future.

 

[jezThomp]

Thank you all, i’ve sorted it now and it works fine and ye i turned the electricity off!

Now i have the problem of the new switch takes up more room in the box and might not been enough room in there!

 

[Amateur]

Lol, hammer, chisel and a 25mm back box then. Dont forget the rubber grommets.

 

[jezThomp]

Lol, hammer, chisel and a 25mm back box then. Dont forget the rubber grommets.

Its the black wires into the joiner that are causing the problem, can they go into the new socket as well it would all fit then?

 

[Taylortwocities]

And you thought it would be a simple 10 minute job. Hehe

 

[Taylortwocities]

Its the black wires into the joiner that are causing the problem, can they go into the new socket as well it would all fit then?

NO WAY JOSE!!
If you do that you will blow the fuse, and shag your new switch. The black must not meet the reds.

 

[Amateur]

NO WAY JOSE!!

I though his name was Jez?

 

[jezThomp]

Ha okay, i’ll leave well alone. Managed to organise it all and now back on the wall and working fine.

Out of interest why don’t they do double switch’s like my old one anymore?