double double switches

[TimW]

I have redecorated the sitting room and I want to replace the old plastic light switches with a new face plate with a nice retro bronze look. Should be a simple job of undoing the old ones and wiring up the new the same, but I am a bit confused.

The sitting room has two light circuits and two doors and by each door there is a double switch. The back of the old plastic switch has 6 places to connect wires (plus an earth) labelled L1, l2 and L3 across the top and L2, L3 and L1 along the bottom. The new one appears to be two single switches at the back so it has 8 places to put wires labelled along the top LOOP-N, COM, LOOP-N, COM and the bottom L1, L2, L1, L2.

So what goes where? Should be simple.

Tim W

[inri]

Are the door switches 'two-way' wired.?

[alan_m]

One method of lighting is to bring live, switched live and 2 neutrals into the light back box. The neutrals in your case are not used but would be needed to be connected together. The switch you have seems to have a terminal just allowing for this neutral link. It play no part in switching. If your wiring has no true neutrals to the back box the Loop_n terminal is not used. (Not to be confused with blue being used as a switched live in many cases, which should have a brown sleeve added to the end to show it carries live).

this may explain

The Loop-n terminal does away with the wago connector shown in this video

[alan_m]

page 8

From your description its similar to BUT intead of both switches being the same way up the second has been physically turned over for the purposes of the treminals.

[alan_m]

delete was was written below

[TimW]

Yes, you can turn either set of lights off/on at either door and sometimes up is on and sometimes down is on depending on how it was last used. TW

[TimW]

Thanks Alan. Still poring over this but your links and explanation a great help. I may attempt it this afternoon.

Tim W