Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

--
Timothy Murphy
gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-2-gang-...ch-white/16201
http://www.lightwiring.co.uk/lightin...-light-switch/
Yes.
Each gang has 3 terminals, 1 n/o, 1 n/c.

bm wrote:

Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-2-gang-...ch-white/16201
http://www.lightwiring.co.uk/lightin...-light-switch/
Yes.
Each gang has 3 terminals, 1 n/o, 1 n/c.

Thank you for helping.
Unfortunately neither of the links shows a wiring diagram
for double 1-way switching.
Also I don't know what n/o, n/c mean.
Each "gang" on my switch has L1, L2 and Common.

--
Timothy Murphy
gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin

Timothy Murphy wrote:
bm wrote:

Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-2-gang-...ch-white/16201
http://www.lightwiring.co.uk/lightin...-light-switch/
Yes.
Each gang has 3 terminals, 1 n/o, 1 n/c.

Thank you for helping.
Unfortunately neither of the links shows a wiring diagram
for double 1-way switching.
Also I don't know what n/o, n/c mean.
Each "gang" on my switch has L1, L2 and Common.


n/o = normally open, n/c = normally closed. You just use the common and L1
or L2. If the light is on when it should be off, use the alternate L
connection (or rotate the light switch 180 degrees).

There probably is a convention which determines whether L1 is n/c or n/o
but I can't remember. Doesn't take long to rectify if you pick the wrong
one.

Tim

Tim

In article ,
Tim+ wrote:
n/o = normally open, n/c = normally closed. You just use the common and
L1 or L2. If the light is on when it should be off, use the alternate L
connection (or rotate the light switch 180 degrees).

You can use L1& L2 too. Basically any combination will work as a simple
on/off.

--
*Real men don't waste their hormones growing hair

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tim+ wrote:
n/o = normally open, n/c = normally closed. You just use the common and
L1 or L2. If the light is on when it should be off, use the alternate L
connection (or rotate the light switch 180 degrees).

You can use L1& L2 too. Basically any combination will work as a simple
on/off.

Using L1 & L2 produces an off/off switch.

L1 L2
o o
\
\
\
o
C

On 17/02/2016 14:52, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Tim+ wrote:

n/o = normally open, n/c = normally closed. You just use the common and
L1 or L2. If the light is on when it should be off, use the alternate L
connection (or rotate the light switch 180 degrees).

You can use L1& L2 too. Basically any combination will work as a simple
on/off.

Not in this universe it won't!

o--- L1 (N/C)
Common _____/
o--- L2 (N/O)

L1 to L2 is not switched at all. Permanent darkness!

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 17/02/2016 10:49, Timothy Murphy wrote:
bm wrote:

Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-2-gang-...ch-white/16201
http://www.lightwiring.co.uk/lightin...-light-switch/
Yes.
Each gang has 3 terminals, 1 n/o, 1 n/c.

Thank you for helping.
Unfortunately neither of the links shows a wiring diagram
for double 1-way switching.
Also I don't know what n/o, n/c mean.

Normally open and normally closed.

Each "gang" on my switch has L1, L2 and Common.


Common is self explanatory. Try that and one of the other two.
The worst that can happen is the switch is upside down for on.
A multimeter on ohms range will show you which is which.

I am not at all convinced that someone who needs to ask this question
should be working on mains voltage electric wiring.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Martin Brown wrote:

Common is self explanatory. Try that and one of the other two.
The worst that can happen is the switch is upside down for on.
A multimeter on ohms range will show you which is which.

If you are simply replacing an existing switch which has is 2-gang/1-way
it may help to pretend that the L2 terminals don't exist. You then
have just 2 switches side by side. (One may be upside down - ie with
"common" at the bottom - but that's just an embuggerance.)

But precisely what you connect where depends on what you are starting
with. It might help if you posted a picture where others can see it -
eg on Dropbox or shared on Google Drive.

I am not at all convinced that someone who needs to ask this question
should be working on mains voltage electric wiring.

Most of us have to learn and some of us can't ask even idiot-boy
questions one-to-one (where they can't be seen by all and sundry and
found years later).

In any event, the world's not short of mathematicians

--
Robin
reply to address is (meant to be) valid

Robin wrote:

If you are simply replacing an existing switch which has is 2-gang/1-way
it may help to pretend that the L2 terminals don't exist. You then
have just 2 switches side by side. (One may be upside down - ie with
"common" at the bottom - but that's just an embuggerance.)

I'm replacing a standard 2-gang 2-way switch with a new 2-gang 2-way switch.
The old switch was not working properly,
possibly because it was wrongly wired.
(The lights are in an alcove, and quite likely were never used.
There are nine other wall and ceiling lights in the room.)
There are four lights in the alcove;
I believe that one switch is meant to turn two lights on and off,
and the other switch is meant to turn the other two lights on and off.

My understanding is that this is described as a 2-gang 1-way setup.

As far as I can see 2-gang 1-way switches are no longer made,
or at least are very difficult to come by.
One therefore has to use a 2-gang 2-way switch for this purpose.

I have worked out a wiring system that works in this way,
but I would like to follow the official wiring system,
assuming that such exists.

Amazingly, I have looked at several on-line sites
purporting to show how to wire switches for many different purposes,
but I have not seen a single one that shows a wiring diagram
for a standard 2-gang 2-way switch used as a 2-gang 1-way switch.

But precisely what you connect where depends on what you are starting
with. It might help if you posted a picture where others can see it -
eg on Dropbox or shared on Google Drive.

I have looked at four 2-gang 2-way switches from different manufacturers,
and all look exactly the same, and the same as my old and new switches.
All have 2 sets of 3 terminals, named COMMON (or COM), L1 and L2.

I am not at all convinced that someone who needs to ask this question
should be working on mains voltage electric wiring.

I don't believe you have shown any understanding of switch wiring.
As far as I can see, my request was perfectly clear:
I am looking for a wiring diagram for using a 2-gang 2-way switch
as a 2-gang 1-way switch.
I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that there must be
a standard diagram for this purpose.

If you are as knowledgeable as you claim, you could show it
by providing such a diagram.


--
Timothy Murphy
gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

2nd attempt at posting -

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-2-gang-...ch-white/16201
http://www.lightwiring.co.uk/lightin...-light-switch/
Yes.
Each gang has 3 terminals, 1 n/o, 1 n/c.

Timothy Murphy pretended :
Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

YES!

You might be struggling to find a 2 gang 1 way switch.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:41:26 +0000, Timothy Murphy
wrote:

Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

Your description is puzzling. To me 'Gang' means things ganged
together on one control, so 2 Gang 2 Way means one rocker that
operates two 2 Way switches, each on a separate circuit. You say "each
switch", so you must be talking about two separate switches on the
same plate. You only need 1-Way so just ignore the 2nd Way if there is
one.
--
Dave W

In article ,
Dave W wrote:
Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

Your description is puzzling. To me 'Gang' means things ganged
together on one control, so 2 Gang 2 Way means one rocker that
operates two 2 Way switches, each on a separate circuit.

It's the accepted way such things are described. Look at any electrical
wholesaler's catalogue, etc.

Just to confuse, a two gang light switch usually fits a one gang box. ;-)

--
*Okay, who stopped the payment on my reality check? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
In article ,
Dave W wrote:
Can I use a 2 Gang 2 Way switch as a Double 1-Way switch,
to that each switch turns on and off one of two lights?

Your description is puzzling. To me 'Gang' means things ganged
together on one control, so 2 Gang 2 Way means one rocker that
operates two 2 Way switches, each on a separate circuit.

It's the accepted way such things are described. Look at any electrical
wholesaler's catalogue, etc.

Yes:-
Gangs - number of physical rockers/switch toggles
Poles - number of separate circuits switched
Ways - number of positions, e.g. for normal light switch it's 2 ways (on/off being a special case where one of the two ways doesn't make a connection)

At least that's the way I've always expected things.

--
Chris Green
·