Replacing 2 gang switch

[scampi]

I'm just replacing a 2 gang switch that controls the two ceiling lights in the living room with an updated one and I'm puzzled about the current wiring.

First of all the all the wires are red and because of the length of the wires I can't easily remove one and insert into the other switch, so I think I need to completely remove the old switch and start afresh.
Secondly, the "Y"s on the new switch are upside down compared to the old one.
Thirdly, there's this strange wire that goes between one switch and the other. Is it from the L1/L2 to the common on the other switch
Finally, the old switch doesn't have L1 and L2 but something like 2 and 3. I just wondered which I should use on the new one? I'm guessing L1.

I would also like to change the switching so that the switch on the left controls the light on the left which it currently doesn't. I guess that's a case of moving the wires over from the right to the left switch.

Any thoughts on how you'd tackle it, or general idea as to how the wiring is working.

 

[littlespark]

What you have is 2 x 1 way switches, so you can basically ignore the terminals marked L2.

The red that loops from one side to the other is the permanent live…. The other two reds are switched lives up to each light.

As it’s working as a one way switch, it doesn’t matter if the live is in Common, L1 or vice versa.


The difference between a one way and a two way is that a one way, the switch is either open or closed… off or on
A two way switches between L1 and L2… so if L2 isn’t used, then it acts as an on-off

You could use L2 and leave L1 empty if you find the switches appear upside down afterward.

As with all electrical work, we strongly advise turning off the supply at your consumer unit.

 

[scampi]

What you have is 2 x 1 way switches, so you can basically ignore the terminals marked L2.

The red that loops from one side to the other is the permanent live…. The other two reds are switched lives up to each light.

As it’s working as a one way switch, it doesn’t matter if the live is in Common, L1 or vice versa.


The difference between a one way and a two way is that a one way, the switch is either open or closed… off or on
A two way switches between L1 and L2… so if L2 isn’t used, then it acts as an on-off

You could use L2 and leave L1 empty if you find the switches appear upside down afterward.

As with all electrical work, we strongly advise turning off the supply at your consumer unit.

Thanks @littlespark that makes perfect sense.

 

[littlespark]

Thanks @littlespark that makes perfect sense.

Thank goodness for that. After the rugby yesterday and the subsequent celebrations, I’m surprised I make any sense on a Sunday morning