Replacing a 1 gang switxh with a 2 gang

[colstermk2]

Doing some alteration to my lounge and have just moved a doorway, obviously I now have to move the light switch too. At the moment the 1 gang dimmer switch operates both the ceiling light and 2 wall lights but I wish to control both lights independently.

Is it as easy as fitting a 2 gang switch with a new cable from the wall lights?

Thanks in anticipation

 

[chris gray]

how many conductors are there at the l1 on the switch?

 

[colstermk2]

On the switch there is only a black wire going into the COM and the red wire into the L1

 

[chris gray]

ok
there is no neutral at your switch so bit more to it than taking a cable to the wall lights.(probably)
are you able to see how many cables are at the wall lights?
and how many are at the center light?

 

[colstermk2]

Damn! Thought as much. Any kind of help would be greatly received and apreciated

 

[Dazza1976]

It depends on your electrical experience, as to how easy it will be.

Once you have decided where you are going to locate the switch, you will need to run 2 - 2 core and earth cables down to it, 1 to control the ceiling light, and 1 to control the wall lights. You will also need to adapt the wiring to the lights to accomodate this. More information would be needed before advising on this:-
i.e how is it currently wired? 3 plate method at the ceiling light, or have you got junction boxes installed ? It could be a bigger job than you expect depending on the circumstances, as you may have to get the floor boards up to check the wiring, assuming you have a room above the lounge ??

More info please.

 

[colstermk2]

ok well its a bungalow so the wiring is in the loft with junction boxes. I have 2 core and earth cables to my new switch position already that I have put up into the ceiling. it seems that the wall lights are both connected into a junction box with a mains feed although the wall lights arent looped to the ceiling light. The ceiling light goes into a junction box with a mains feed and then goes into another junction box where other switches are wired into. This is where the switch for the 1 gang is wired into that controls both lights??? Does that make sense??

 

[chris gray]

the mains cable going into the jb of the wall lights is in fact a sw wire from the other center light jb(probably)

 

[colstermk2]

Ive tried to put it a new cable from the wall light jb to a 2 gang switch and a new cable from the existing points in the other jb where the old cable was (exactly) but no joy, am I missing something obvious??

 

[chris gray]

is it possible to tie a 3core a+e onto the switch leg at the at the 1g and pull up into the loft area?

bear with me ive had a few shandies