Hi I have two light switches in my lounge either side of the room. I have also just had a new door fitted to my kitchen but switched around the way it opens. This means I now have to walk around the door to switch on the kitchen lights. So what I want to do is move the kitchen light switch (2 gang as there are two lights) to the lounge so that I can turn the light on before entering the room. Currently the lounge and kitchen lights in opposite rooms are not back to back as the wall (plasterboard) is only about 5" thick, so they are side by side albeit in opposite rooms. So I was planning simply to move the light switch to the lounge on the opposite side of the wall, which would then be side by side to the lounge switch. After checking the light switches on screwfix I saw a 3 gang switch and wondered if I could just change the lounge one to a three gang and wire up the kitchen lights to this. providing of course there is enough length? Would look neater and also only need one switch to buy instead of two. However don't know if this is pracitically possible or even ligit. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Yes, you can do it. You might find that the cable can be pulled a little to give you the length you need... oh er..!! The hole thats left in the kitchen can easily be covered by a single blanking plate.
Gang is the number of switches on the faceplate, used to switch independent lighting circuits 1 / 2 way refers to the number of switches being used to control the same light. Think, a hall light is usually switched from both up and downstairs - 2 way switching. The switch will have 3 terminals for this purpose, as 3 core and earth cable is used 1 way switch will have just 2 terminals You can use a 2 way switch for single way lighting, using just 2 terminals I'm only diy so more technical info may follow
Ok, that seems easy to understand. So, I will have a faceplate with 3 switches on, two to control the two lights in the kitchen and one switch for the lounge which must be 2 way as there is another switch in the lounge. So a 3 gang 2 way it is?