home electrics

[diwali]

How do you wire a two gang lighting switch?

[woofgang]

Diwali, the switch should come with instructions. If you are like me and can't make head or tail of them, then you protect your own life and the lives of your family by paying an electrician to do it!! No offence intended, electricity is dangerous stuff

[Oneeyedvic]

I would say that this is really easy but a lot simpler if you have a book in front of you.

Go to your local library and get a DIY book (collins do an excellent one with colour pictures and guides).

Like Woofgang I used to be scared of doing these - with a bit of common sense it is very easy to do. I now routinely do all my DIY jobs - have saved a fortune and you couldn't tell the difference.

Good luck and go for it

[Tweed]

There are a few ways. You can provide a feed from one light to feed the other, by bridging the switch. Or you can  the have a feed and switch line for both lights. Or you could have two two-ways, or two one-ways or a mixtue of both. Most modern circuits take the feed from the ceiling rose, but it used to be the case that the feed was looped from switch to switch. This largely disappeared with the introduction of twin and earth cable.

[diwali]

OK - In the 2 gang switch I should bridge the two COM terminals. That will give me switched power to the LI terminals (I don't need two way switching) which can then supply the light circuits. The neutral is connected directly to the lights. Do you think it might be better to incorporate a junction box (out of site) above the switch.

  

 

[Tweed]

I'm not sure that I understand the problem entirely, but you shouldn't need the junction box. If you have a feed and two switch wires at the switch, then bridge the com terminals (with the feed connected to either com) and connect the switch wires into L1 of each switch and you should be alright. The neutral of each light should be connected to a neutral terminal in the same circuit.

[diwali]

Thanks for that. The suggestion for a junction box was to accommodate the neutral connection for which there is no terminal in the two gang switch. However, I am on the right track now. Much appreciated.