currently have a 3 gang switch want to convert to 2 gang

[wacko262]

hi i have a 3 gang switch currently in the living room, The first switch is a one way to a light outside that is no longer used. The second is a two way that is connected to the switch upstairs. and the third is a two way and is connected to a switch the other side of the living room. I want to get rid of the single light outside and change to a two gang system. Any ideas on how i would do this
any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Octopus]

A few ideas but without looking at the method used to wire up the outside light difficult to be precise. You don't want to be cutting live wires, nor leaving live wires in walls or worse still sticking out.

 

[dim_bulb]

Better off getting someone in can't really explain this over the forum like this

 

[TaffyDuck]

are there black/blue cables joined together in the switch box, not connected to the switch but connected to each other?

 

[wacko262]

Thanks for the quick reply this a photo of the current set up the switch for the outside light is the one on the right

 

[wacko262]

yes there are two black cable joined together

 

[wacko262]

sorry guys the outside light is on the left in that pic

 

[ipf]

View attachment 16157

Thanks for the quick reply this a photo of the current set up the switch for the outside light is the one on the right

Are you sure?

 

[TaffyDuck]

Looks like the outside light (on left by the way not right) is switch fed. Do you have a voltage tester? if not call a sparky

- - - Updated - - -

yes ipf beat me too it lol

 

[wacko262]

yh inside the casing behind the switch there's a connector connecting two black wires. you can just see the connector in the pic just inside the wall bottom right

 

[TaffyDuck]

voltage tester?

 

[wacko262]

not with me now im at my mums. When all switches are on then all connections are live. Turn the right switch off and the top red wire on the right goes dead and the yellow on the bottom. Turn the middle switch off and the blue wire on top row goes dead and the third wire in (the red one)on the bottom goes dead. and if you turn the left hand one of the bottom red on the left goes dead.
Very limited atm only have an electricians screwdriver

 

[ipf]

not with me now im at my mums. When all switches are on then all connections are live. Turn the right switch off and the top red wire on the right goes dead and the yellow on the bottom. Turn the middle switch off and the blue wire on top row goes dead and the third wire in (the red one)on the bottom goes dead. and if you turn the left hand one of the bottom red on the left goes dead.
Very limited atm only have an electricians screwdriver

In, out, in, out and shake it all about, eh?

 

[wacko262]

This is what it looks like from the back

 

[simpson93]

View attachment 16161This is what it looks like from the back

seems to me by the drawing you have a permanant feed 3 plate and a switched live 2nd one in from the left and 4th one in from the left not sure which is which. without knowing if theres anything else going on with it i woud say you would be fine chock bocking them individually and leaving in backbox, changing faceplate too a 2 gang.

 

[wacko262]

cheers mate