Discuss Pre 2004 UK light switch swap in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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I was hoping to replace old light switches in my house, but am confused by the current switched / wiring.
The switch has 2 Common slots, unlike any new switches.
There are 2 ceiling lights in the room, but only 1 switch for the lights in the room.
On new 1 Gang 1 Way switches there is only 1 Common slot.
How would I wire up into the new switch please?
 

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Never seen a switch like that. Those two terminals only have Common written by them and nothing else.
 
looks loka a 2way switch from this angle. even if i get up offa the floor, still looks like a 2way.
 
I don't think it is a two way switch, the Common marking is clearly across both terminals indicating they serve the same purpose and are connected together internally. The picture isn't clear enough but there seems to be a switch symbol above the two Commons with a line to the red peg.
 
Crikey! I live in a bovis built in the 70s and the backboxes are well screwed to the walls. All walls are brick, and hard brick at that. Mind you, the plumbing is all in stainless steel as there was a copper shortage, and some of the wiring seems to be "not copper"...
Mainly single sockets too...
 
Crikey! I live in a bovis built in the 70s and the backboxes are well screwed to the walls. All walls are brick, and hard brick at that. Mind you, the plumbing is all in stainless steel as there was a copper shortage, and some of the wiring seems to be "not copper"...
Mainly single sockets too...
It was traditional brick built throughout. I complained and give them their due it was rectified.
 
Have worked in loads of houses where a single cut nail was used to hold a box to the wall...
 
Have worked in loads of houses where a single cut nail was used to hold a box to the wall...

Our estate, built in the 1970s, is the same. They used the tapered brads - they don't half grip into breeze blocks!
 
Quite like the double common terminal, saves the 2 conductors in one. First time have seen one.
 
They are push-wire terminals which only accept one wire each, so the common is doubled to allow a loop-through. Put both red wires into the one common terminal in the new switch.

The most logical expalanation of what we see is that the switch cable from the light(s) is the 3C+E, carrying PL, SL and N. The T+E is either the feed, or it is taking PL and N on to another point.
 

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