How to replace a single key light switch. How to change the switch if you are not an electrician? Additional electrician services

Before buying and installing a two-gang switch, you first need to decide what it is for at all? And it is intended to control two lighting circuits from one point.

Do not confuse it with pass-through switches, which play other roles. They differ from each other in the number of contacts. Therefore, when choosing, look first of all not at the front panel, but at the back of the switch.

two-gang light switch

two-gang simple switch

Let's say if you have 2 or more bulbs in the chandelier, using a two-gang switch, you can make it so that when you press one key, only half of the lamps turn on, and when you press the second, all the rest at once.

It can also be controlled by two different lamps located at separate points from each other - for example, lighting sconces at different ends of the room or even in another room.

The two-key switch differs from its one-key counterpart not only in the number of switches, but most importantly, in the number of contacts. There are only 3 of them here. One common and two outgoing. Through them, the phase is separated and then returned to the junction box by separate wires or goes directly to the fixtures.

Note that you will need at least a three-wire wire to install a double switch, even if you do not have a PE protective earth conductor in your apartment wiring.

Installation of a two-gang light switch and wire connection

There is nothing complicated in the connection diagram and in the process of installation, installation and connection of wires to the switch contacts. First of all, the switch must be disassembled. To do this, dismantle the keys themselves. If you can’t do it manually, simply by pulling them towards you, use an ordinary screwdriver, prying the keys from the side.

As a result, you have the body itself with fasteners on the sides and the inner contact part in your hands. The main task is to supply voltage from the phase conductor to the common contact. Further, when two keys are closed, this phase will diverge to one or the other lighting circuit.

To find the central contact, look at the marking, since it may not always be located exactly alone and in the center.

But what if you do not understand the inscriptions or they are erased and painted over? Then you need to use a contact screwdriver with a tester with a battery-powered dialing function.
Insert any metal object (stud, screw) into the intended common contact. You wrap your fingers around it, and touch the other two contacts with a screwdriver.

When you alternately press the keys, that is, turn on one - check, then turn off the first and turn on the second - check that the screwdriver LED should light up every time. If this does not happen, then this is not a general contact.

To connect the common contact, use the phase of the gray conductor coming from the junction box. You clean the end of the core, put it between the contact plates and tighten the screw with a screwdriver.

Next, connect the other two wires in the cable to the outgoing pin connectors.

The connection of the conductors directly to the two-gang switch itself is now complete. Insert the case into the mounting box and tighten the fixing screws.

Then you tighten the two spacer screws, which help the fastening fork with teeth to rest against the walls of the box as much as possible and firmly hold the switch body inside it.
After that, you can return to place all the decorative frames and the keys themselves.

Installation of connections of a two-gang switch in a junction box

The following cables can enter the junction box or junction box:

• power cable from the machine in the shield
• cable going down to the switch
• one (if you have a chandelier with two lighting circuits) or two cables (if the light points are in different places) to outgoing lamps

In order not to get confused, follow the following order:

Connect all neutral conductors first. They are usually blue. Zero does not pass through the two-gang switch and comes directly from the shield to the lamp, through the connections in the junction box.

All stripped cores can be connected using Wago quick-clamp terminals.
Although everyone has a different attitude towards them, but it is for lighting circuits with minimal loads that they are ideal.

Next in order is protective grounding. This is a green/yellow wire. If you don’t have a grounding conductor in your apartment or the lamp body is insulated and the cable is two-core, then, accordingly, this connection will not be in the junction box.

It remains to connect the phase conductors. Here you need to be extremely careful. First, clamp the phase in the Vago terminal block, which comes from the power supply. Then, in the same terminal, insert the core that comes from the common phase contact of the two-gang switch.

You should have 4 free unconnected wires left. Two of them are the wiring that goes to the chandelier or sconce, and the other two wires are phases connected to the lower outgoing contacts of the two-keyboard.
Take two more clamps and SEPARATELY connect these conductors through them. Thus, you will connect two lighting circuits to the fixtures independently of each other.

Connection on a chandelier or lamp

In a lamp or chandelier, terminal blocks are usually used for connection. Run on them the cores of the cable coming out of the junction box according to the color marking.

The factory lamp must have wires of exactly the color that are prescribed in the rules. Phase - a gray or dark-colored conductor should go to the central contact of the lamp, and zero - blue to the bulb base itself.

Grounding yellow-green colors can be attached both to the terminal and directly under the screw on the housing.

Errors when connecting a two-gang switch

The first mistake that an illiterate specialist can make is to put on the switch not a phase, but zero.

Remember: the switch must always break the phase conductor, and in no case zero.

Otherwise, the phase will always be on duty on the base of the chandelier. And an elementary replacement of a light bulb can end very tragically.

By the way, there is one more nuance because of which even experienced electricians can rack their brains. For example, you wanted to check directly on the contacts of the chandelier - the phase comes there through a switch or zero. Turn off the two-keyboard, touch the contact on the chandelier with a Chinese sensitive indicator - and it glows! Although you have assembled the circuit correctly.

What can be wrong? And the reason lies in the backlight, which are increasingly equipped with switches.

A small current, even in the off state, still flows through the LED, applying potential to the lamp contacts.

By the way, this is one of the reasons for the blinking of LED lamps in the off state. How to deal with this can be found in the article "". To avoid such an error, you need to use not a Chinese indicator, but a multimeter in voltage measurement mode.

The second error is when the phase supply conductor is connected not to the common contact of the switch, but to one of the outgoing ones. In this case, the circuit will not work as it should. All lights will only light up if you press two keys at the same time. But if you press only the key to which the phase does not come initially, then the chandelier will not light up at all.

If you moved into a new apartment where it was not you who connected the chandelier, and it behaves in such a strange way, that is, it does not react as it should to the two-key switches, then the point is most likely precisely in such an erroneous installation of the supply wires. Feel free to disassemble the switch and check the common contact.

If you have a backlit switch, an indirect sign of such an incorrect connection may be the failure of the neon light bulb. Why indirect? Since here everything depends on which key you will start the phase on.

The third common mistake is to connect the neutral wire on the chandelier not to the common zero in the junction box, but to one of the phase wires.
To avoid this, use and observe the color coding of the wires, and even better, if you do not trust the colors, check the voltage supply using a high-quality indicator or multimeter before turning on the lamp.

Before you begin the work of installing new equipment, it is important to make sure that it was the old switch that was causing the lack of light in the room. The presence of electricity in the room, checking the lamps in the lighting fixture will be a confirmation of the existing breakdown. Replacing the switch, if you look, is not such a complicated procedure. A minimum experience with a screwdriver and electricity is enough.

There are a number of requirements for the maintenance of electrical equipment. Their implementation will ensure the safety of the entire workflow.

It is important to note that each installed device partially differs in the principle of installation according to its distinctive features.

Replacing a single-gang switch

Experts consider it the easiest option for removal / installation. The scheme for connecting the lamp through a single-gang switch is shown in the figure.

But still, it is important to consider a number of actions, and the topic of the day how to change the switch will disappear by itself. To dismantle the light switch, you must sequentially perform:

• removing keys using a screwdriver;

Installing a new switch to replace the old one is carried out in the reverse order of the above steps.

1. The place of work must be de-energized;
2. We check the integrity of the insulation on the wires;
3. Preparing a new switch for installation;
4. We adjust the required length of wires;
5. If necessary, we clean the wires from insulation;
6. We connect the wires to the switch;
7. Check the quality of the tightening of the contacts;
8. Once again, we check the correctness of the assembled circuit;
9. We install the inside of the switch in the socket;
10. We set the switch according to the level;
11. We fasten the switch with screws to the socket;
12. We install the decorative overlay and the switch keys in place.

After installation, we check the work done by turning on the electricity supply.

Replacing a one-button switch with a two-button one

Craftsmen faced with installing simpler equipment will probably know how to replace a switch with more keys.

Suppose you have decided to replace an old one-button switch with a multi-button switch for better or more economical distribution of light in a room.

When installing a switch with two buttons, it is important to consider the moment of connecting the wires to the equipment. One wire with a phase is suitable for the two-gang switch (it comes from the circuit breaker in the input shield). You need to find it even before the switch is de-energized using a voltage indicator or an indicator screwdriver. The required number of outgoing wires from the circuit breaker to the load should be two. An individual wire is connected to each of its keys to the lamp, through which the current from the switch will subsequently flow.

The installation sequence of a two-button switch is carried out similarly to the steps for replacing a one-button switch in an apartment.

How to change the switch to a touch switch

During installation, you must perform a number of the following steps:

• electrical shutdown;
• dismantling of old equipment;
• removal of the upper part of the panel;
• connection of wires according to the correspondence of the terminals;
• installation in a mounting box (socket box) with fixation using spacers and screws.

So, in the question of how to replace an old switch with a touch one, there is nothing difficult, you just need experience in installing a conventional push-button. The main thing is to read the instructions for connecting the touch switch.

Installing a dimmer switch

If you decide to purchase and install this type of device yourself, there is no reason to worry. It is installed in order to be able to adjust the lighting.

But many are still interested in the question of how to replace a conventional switch with. This modified device in the installation is not much different from the installation of conventional equipment of this type. The only condition imposed by the manufacturer can be considered the fulfillment of the rules for connecting wires to the phase and load terminals on the switch. You will also learn about this in the manufacturer's instructions and in.

Replacing a light switch with a sound switch

Here it is necessary to pay attention that, or as it is also called, there are two types:

• Sound switch, which is placed instead of a simple switch;
• A sound switch that is installed inside the luminaire by the luminaire manufacturer or we install it ourselves.

So, how to replace the switch with a sound one?

Having de-energized the room in which the device will be installed from electricity, you can get to work.

Connecting the switch of the first type will not be very difficult. We dismantle the old switch, as described above, and install a new sound switch in its place. This action is also described above. Just remember to read the manufacturer's instructions. But what if…? Switch designers are constantly improving their designs and something may change.

To connect the second type of equipment to work, there is no need to replace the old switch, since the entire “cotton” installation is simply located directly in the lighting fixture itself, or we must install it there. Such switches are recommended to be mounted in a guest room or office. It is important to note that for continuous operation, the main source of switching on the wall must always be in operation.

First you need to worry about what and how to properly fix the device inside the lamp. A variety of this type has a pair of wires, during installation, which must be connected in series to the network and the lamp.

After you managed to install the switch, it is necessary to adjust the sensitivity of the switch to the required sound level.

From all of the above, the conclusion follows that there is nothing complicated about how to change the switch. All you need is patience and precise execution of actions. Well, the outcome will later be rewarded with the expected result.

Hi, I'm Josh, in this video I will show you how to replace the multi-position switch on your cooktop. Two different types of switch can be installed on the plate, the first is a potentiometer, in which the knob can be set in any position within its rotation. On other stoves we use a multi-position switch like this one, it has several fixed positions. The process for replacing both a multi-position switch and a potentiometer is very similar, in this video I will do it on such a brand, but the process should be very similar for most types of stoves. Before starting work, make sure that your stove is turned off from the network.
Most stoves turn off the same way. If you cannot disconnect the plug, or if you want more security, you can turn off the circuit breaker in the floor box. The slab is usually installed in an opening under the countertop, and some are latched into place for security. Check this before attempting to pull the plate out, if necessary press the latches on the bottom. It's simple, by pressing the latches, you can get the stove. And once you've done that, the first step is to remove the knob on the switch, in most cases you just pull it off, like this. After removing the handle, you need to unscrew the nut that holds the switch to the plate with small pliers or a wrench. The nut is off, now I can turn the panel over and lay it down very carefully. Now I need to detach this base panel. To do this, unscrew these four screws. Let's move on and open them. With these four screws removed, I can lift the panel up and out of the way. And here below we see the switches. Let's replace this switch. It's a good habit to take a photo of the electrical connections so you can remember how everything was connected if something happens. But in this case, all the wires are of the same color, so there is a possibility of confusing them when replacing. For this reason, it's best to just swap each wire from the old switch to the new one one at a time. This makes it less likely that you will confuse them. Disconnect the wire, simply tighten it and then install it on the new switch. So, once I've changed all the connections, I can remove the old switch and put the new one in its place. I want to put a nut on the switch shaft from the other side to make sure it is in the correct position. Now I need to attach the base panel in place and all that remains is to put the handle on the shaft. And now, if you had to tear the seal that was under the hob when you lifted it from the countertop, then a new seal is available on eSpares. Or you can just use a special insert around the edge of the hob. You just need to make sure that it sits correctly in the grooves. Spare parts for hobs and other devices are available in online stores. Thanks for watching.
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Is your old wall switch broken? Or does it not suit you for aesthetic or other reasons? After reading this article, you will be able to easily replace the circuit breaker yourself without waiting for a master electrician to visit you.

The whole process will not take you much time and effort. You just need to be careful if you are going to change a two- or three-gang switch. The fact is that you will need to pre-mark the wires connected to the old switch in order to screw them to the new one in the same sequence. This will allow you later, when you press the keys of the new switch, to turn on the light in the sequence that you were used to before. When replacing a one-button switch, these manipulations will be redundant.

First of all, you need. Turn off the breaker (or unscrew the plugs) on the switchboard. Value your life and health.

Switch replacement

After that, remove the decorative frame-overlay. Depending on the circuit breaker design, it can be attached directly to the circuit breaker body, or through an additional pressure plate.

Pry off the frame or the plate fixing it with a flat screwdriver, and pull it towards you.

It should snap off and be removed from the switch housing. After you have removed the keys and the frame, either the screws securing the electrical wires to the switch terminals, or the wires themselves, will become available to you.

With the switch in the off position, touch all the screws one by one with an indicator screwdriver, or to the bare sections of the wires to make sure that there is no phase voltage in the wires and the switch can be replaced safely. The control lamp of the indicator should not light up at the same time. If the indicator light is on somewhere, try turning off another switch on the shield, or turn off the power to the entire apartment.

After you have made sure that there is no phase voltage in the wires, you can safely continue.

2. Using a screwdriver, unscrew the screws securing the switch housing to the socket by turning them counterclockwise. If these are the screws of the spacer "legs", then it is enough to unscrew them by 3-5 turns (loosen the mount).

If the switch is screwed to the socket box with screws (screws), then to remove the switch it is necessary to unscrew them completely.

Remove the switch from the socket, as far as the wires allow, gently straightening them.

If you have a one-button switch installed, then unscrew the screws that secure the wires to the switch terminals by 2-3 turns and disconnect the wires from the switch.

Some types of switches can be equipped with self-clamping terminals (no screws required). In such terminals, the wires are inserted with some force into the holes intended for this, without subsequently being fixed with screws. If you don't see any sign of screws where the wires enter the switch, try pulling hard on the wire and it should pop out of the terminal clamp. Or find and press the release button, which will release the wire.

If there are more than one buttons on your switch, then mark all the wires in the order in which they are screwed to the switch. Hang tags, mark with a marker, stick different pieces of electrical tape, or in some other way mark the wires, so that you can connect them to the new switch in the same sequence. One wire (phase, if the electricians did everything right) should be connected on one side of the switch, the other 2 or 3 on the other.

3. Inspect the wires for damage. If the end of the wire is damaged, oxidized or broken, and the length of the wires allows them to be shortened a little, then cut the broken section with side cutters and strip 5-7 mm of insulation.

Also check the socket in which the switch was fixed. If it hangs in the wall or has begun to fall apart for some reason, it will be better to replace it.

If everything is in order with the socket, then you can connect a new switch.

4. Remove the new switch from the packaging. Remove the switch key(s) by carefully prying them off the edge. Try to do this carefully, without damaging the plastic surface of the keys and the frame. Carefully remove the frame. Some bezel retainers have rather delicate plastic latches. If they are broken due to careless handling, then subsequently the frame on the switch will hang out rather unaesthetically, so do not rush. Do everything carefully.

5. Connect the wires, connecting them according to the markings you made earlier. On some switches, the designation of the contacts may be indicated on the back cover: L and 1 , 2 , 3 . Here "L" is a contact for connecting a phase wire; 1, 2, 3 - outgoing contacts, which can also be marked with arrows.

Insert the wires one by one into the corresponding sockets on the switch, and fix the wires by tightening the terminal screws with force. After you screw the wires, try to lightly pull on the wire, thus checking the security of the fixation. If the wire pops out of the terminal, tighten the screw harder next time.

If your new switch has self-locking wire terminals, which can be identified by the absence of screws to fix the wires, then all you need to do is insert the stripped end of the conductor into a special socket, and the wires will automatically lock into such a terminal.

6. Install the switch in place, along the way helping the wires to fit freely in the socket. Align the switch and fix it with the help of sliding tabs (alternately tightening the fastening screws of the tabs clockwise), or screw it to the box with screws (if holes for screws are provided in the box).

When installing, keep in mind that according to the rules of ergonomics, turning on the light with switches located at head level is done by pressing the upper part of the switch key (up - turning on the light).

Well, those switches that are installed at waist level, on the contrary, turn on the light by pressing the bottom of the key (down - turn on the light).

After securely fixing the switch in the socket, you will only have to install and fix the decorative frame, then put the switch key (s) inside the frame and put it (them) in place by gently pressing.

7. Turn on the breaker on the switchboard and enjoy the work you have done!

I must say that if you still mixed up or did not mark the wires (if there are more than two), then you will need to find the phase wire. To do this, separate the bare ends of the wires so that they do not touch each other and the wall so that they can be safely touched with an indicator screwdriver. Turn on the electricity with the switch you turned off earlier.

Touch each wire in turn with the tip of the indicator screwdriver (do not forget to keep one finger on the contact pad of the indicator screwdriver) and find the phase wire. When you touch this wire, the indicator light should light up. Label this wire. Then turn off the electricity again.

The marked wire will subsequently need to be connected to the part of the switch where there is an input for only one wire (sometimes this input is indicated by the letter L on the back cover).

If none of the wires turned out to be phase, or more than one wire causes the indicator to glow, then in this case, it would still be better for you to use the help of an electrician to determine the correct connection option.

It will not be superfluous in this article to also say a few words about installing dimmers.

A dimmer (dimmer) is an electronic device designed to control the power of an electric current. Typically a dimmer is used to adjust the brightness of incandescent lamps.

The dimmer is installed in the socket in the same way as a conventional light switch. A conventional monoblock dimmer is connected in the same way as a conventional light switch: with two wires.

Depending on the design, dimmers are:

• rotary-push, which turn on when you press the knob, and the adjustment is made by turning it.
• rotary, all controlled by turning the knob. Turning on the light with such dimmers always starts with a minimum brightness.
• keyboards that look like normal switches. When the key is pressed, the on / off is performed, and when the key is held for more than 3 seconds, smooth adjustment occurs.
• sensory, operated by touching the touch panel.

The first and obvious one is the price. A good dimmer costs several times more than a good switch.

Dimmers should absolutely not be used to control the brightness of fluorescent (energy-saving) or LED lamps - their electronics will interfere with the operation of the dimmer electronics, and vice versa. As a result, both devices will fail.

In conclusion, watch a short video that will help you visually understand the procedure for replacing the switch. The video will open in a separate window.

Click on the button ↓↓↓ and share with your friends if you find this article helpful!

The failure of the circuit breaker can occur for various reasons: from a short circuit to the banal wear of the box. In order to replace it, you can call an electrician, but if you wish, this work can be done independently. There is nothing difficult in this operation, and any adult, even without special knowledge, will cope with it in no more than half an hour. However, it should be remembered that since this work involves electricity, you need to take care of safety measures. In this article you will find a detailed answer to the question of how to change the switch with your own hands.

Preparation for work

Before proceeding with the replacement of the switch, you need to make sure that the reason is in it. Often the “culprit” is the cartridge, so you should first check it with a probe or multimeter, after unscrewing the lamp.

Also make sure that other rooms have light.

After making sure that it is the switch that is faulty, it must be dismantled. It should be remembered that the light switch is replaced in a de-energized apartment, so it is necessary to turn off the voltage that is supplied to the room with a knife switch. Warn all households that you are working with electricity and at this time they should not turn on any electrical appliances, and even more so, touch the switch.

Let's figure out first how to change the switch with one button.

Removing the switch

To dismantle a faulty device, you must first remove its protective cover, made of plastic or carbolite. To do this, you need to unscrew the 2 fastening screws.

The switch mechanism with one key is fixed inside the socket box with spacer tabs. It has a pair of screw terminals with cable cores connected to it. The position of the legs can be adjusted if necessary using the screws on the left and right sides.

Before removing the mechanism, it is necessary to determine which core the phase is suitable for. To do this, we need a screwdriver-probe. Touching her contacts one by one, we check the presence of voltage. Then the device key should be switched to another position, and then re-check.

The supply phase cable is the one on the contact of which the probe indicates the presence of voltage; at the same time, it is absent on the second contact. The zero core should go to the lighting device.

Phase detection is performed on a circuit breaker that is energized, so you must be extremely careful when performing this procedure. Only after its completion, the room must be de-energized by turning off the breaker or removing the plugs.

Having de-energized the apartment, you need to make sure that there is no voltage on the switch, and then continue to dismantle it. In this case, you need to act as follows:

• Remove the mechanism from the socket, after unscrewing the screws of the spacer legs.
• After that, you need to separate the wires, starting with the phase. Loosen the contact screw, pull out the cable and mark it with electrical tape.
• Disconnect the second cable from the mechanism.
• Straighten the wires.

This completes the dismantling.

Preparing to connect

Before you connect a new device, you need to prepare it for installation. The procedure for this is as follows:

• Remove the key using a flathead screwdriver.
• Unscrew the screws to gain access to the mechanism. The execution of these devices is different, but they are connected according to the same principle and fixed to the socket by means of spacer legs. The movement of the latter is provided by screws.

To fix the wires, a pair of screw clamps and a pressure plate are provided. With their help, you can loosen the fastening, or, on the contrary, press the cores more strongly. One to two wires can be connected to each contact.

Installing a new switch

Having prepared the mechanism for installation, we proceed directly to its connection. In this case, you need to act in the following order:

• Strip the ends of the wires from insulation by 1-1.5 cm with a knife.
• Insert the cleaned core into the contact hole, making sure that there is no insulation in the clamp. It should be remembered that the phase conductor (red) must be mounted in the socket of the contact marked with the L1 symbol, and the neutral conductor (black or blue) in the socket L2.
• If the end of the core sticks out more than 2 mm, trim the excess.
• Tighten the contact screw.
• Pull on the cable to make sure the contact is secure. The wire must remain motionless. If this is not the case, tighten the contact more tightly. But it is important not to overdo it - you can break the thread.
• Strip and insert the next wire into the hole.
• Fasten in the same way, make sure the fixation is good.

After that, the switch must be inserted inside the socket and secured with sliding strips. Then supply electricity to the room and check the operation of the device under voltage.

If the light turns off when the key is pressed up, you should swap the cables or simply turn the mechanism case over.

After making sure that everything is in order, replace the switch key and screw the cover. When installing the key, you need to make sure that the pins on it fit into the button grooves. This completes the switch replacement.

Let's move on to the question of how to properly change a switch with two buttons or three. The procedure for performing the procedure is almost identical to that observed when working with a one-button device, with the exception of a couple of nuances. When installing a switch with two buttons, the phase is connected to terminal L3, and the other two cables go to terminals L1 and L2. Switches for three keys are connected with four wires, one of which is phase, and each of the other three corresponds to its connection group.

Visually the whole process of replacing a two-gang switch on the video:

Conclusion

In the material presented, we tried to analyze in as much detail as possible how to replace the light switch. As you can see, this procedure does not present any particular difficulties, and our readers, after reading the article, will easily cope with such work on their own, without the help of a professional electrician.