Blanking off two way light switches for Hue

James Peach · 8 Jan 2020 at 15:40

I've blanked off / bypassed a bunch of light switches in my home so the Hue lights are always receiving power and guests don't turn them off. However, I've never come across a two way switch before.

Did some research and I managed to bypass one correctly I believe. The other, however, has more wires in it and I'm confused.

Here's the first switch bypassed.

https://ibb.co/fvQ9VKw

I've yet to ground it as I don't know what to do with the other "switching" wire. Maybe I ignore it? Also thought it might be useful to know the colour before i covered it up.

Here's the second switch. No idea what to do here.

https://ibb.co/994bjTf

I would have thought the yellow one was pointless now but it appears to be going into L1 which is odd, no?

Anyway; any help demystifying this would be greatly appreciated!

Hybridtheory · 8 Jan 2020 at 17:18

You can get a cover which fits over the original light switch using the original two screws and it also holds the remote, have you thought of doing this instead ?

James Peach · 8 Jan 2020 at 17:24

Hybridtheory said:
You can get a cover which fits over the original light switch using the original two screws and it also holds the remote, have you thought of doing this instead ?

Yeah. I just want it smooth; Ive been fitting metal panels on there.
No reason to have something hanging off the wall anymore. I don't use remotes either.

200sols · 8 Jan 2020 at 17:32

Do these 2 switches control the same light?

James Peach · 8 Jan 2020 at 17:33

200sols said:
Do these 2 switches control the same light?

Yes. Or they did until I bypassed one.

HardwareGeek · 8 Jan 2020 at 18:20

Make sure the power is off

To bypass both of those switches and leave the light permanently on you just need to join the 2 core cable black and red wires together from your 2nd picture

the 3 core red yellow blue will then be unused

at the moment in your first pic the yellow that not in a connector is probably live or will come live if you switch the 2nd switch, so its not safe

if your putting metal blank plates on do they have an earth terminal?

at the moment it looks most likely, if wired correctly at the 2nd switch, the yellow is permanently live and switch position is connecting it to the red of the 3 core, then your link in the first pic is sending power back down the blue core to bring the light on, so that loose yellow wire is live!!!

James Peach · 8 Jan 2020 at 18:33

HardwareGeek said:
Make sure the power is off

To bypass both of those switches and leave the light permanently on you just need to join the 2 core cable black and red wires together from your 2nd picture

the 3 core red yellow blue will then be unused

at the moment in your first pic the yellow that not in a connector is probably live or will come live if you switch the 2nd switch, so its not safe

if your putting metal blank plates on do they have an earth terminal?

Thanks!
I'm not quite sure what you mean. I've numbered the wires here:

https://ibb.co/ZYGRBTr

Are you saying join 1 & 2 together? It seems like they're already joined together, right?

I did NOT realise that about the yellow wire in the first picture. Once I bypass THIS dimmer switch assuming it will become inert?

The metal blank plates have an earth terminal on them. Though, oddly, as you can see, these lights weren't earthed at all.

HardwareGeek · 8 Jan 2020 at 18:53

James Peach said:
Thanks!
I'm not quite sure what you mean. I've numbered the wires here:

https://ibb.co/ZYGRBTr

Are you saying join 1 & 2 together? It seems like they're already joined together, right?

I did NOT realise that about the yellow wire in the first picture. Once I bypass THIS dimmer switch assuming it will become inert?

The metal blank plates have an earth terminal on them. Though, oddly, as you can see, these lights weren't earthed at all.

Join 2 and 4 - the rest just make safe but they will be dead

you've got plastic fastfix boxes in the wall if you had plastic switches then nothing needed earthing before but if you use metal blank plates they will need the earth connecting

James Peach · 8 Jan 2020 at 19:01

HardwareGeek said:
Join 2 and 4 - the rest just make safe but they will be dead

you've got plastic fastfix boxes in the wall if you had plastic switches then nothing needed earthing before but if you use metal blank plates they will need the earth connecting

Perfect. Thanks so much.

by make safe do you mean just fold them over and tuck them in? There’s no current so all I’m doing is making sure they don’t poke or interfere, right?
Good shout on grounding. I’m a fool.

HardwareGeek · 8 Jan 2020 at 19:08

James Peach said:
Perfect. Thanks so much.

by make safe do you mean just fold them over and tuck them in? There’s no current so all I’m doing is making sure they don’t poke or interfere, right?
Good shout on grounding. I’m a fool.

Put them in their own chock block or other connector for the dead wires to make safe, shouldn't just leave even dead wires loose in the back of the box etc

can put all 3 dead wires together in 1 connector

James Peach · 8 Jan 2020 at 19:21

HardwareGeek said:
Put them in their own chock block or other connector for the dead wires to make safe, shouldn't just leave even dead wires loose in the back of the box etc

can put all 3 dead wires together in 1 connector

Ive realised I only have one junction connector left and so I went to look on amazon. Just realised they come in different amperages. The lights are on so presumably the ones I have in are ok but any idea how many amps I should be buying for?

the lights are obviously fused but nevertheless ...

Connector Strip 3 5 10 15 30 60 Amp Terminal Barrier Block Electrical Strip Connector (3 Amp) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TH1KPWV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YSIfEb8E3J7Y3

HardwareGeek · 8 Jan 2020 at 19:28

5A for lighting generally, those 3 wires will fit into a 5A choc block

you need 1 connector for the 2 live wires and 2 more for the 3 dead wires at each switch - so 3 total

wonko · 8 Jan 2020 at 19:40

James Peach said:
Yeah. I just want it smooth; Ive been fitting metal panels on there.
No reason to have something hanging off the wall anymore. I don't use remotes either.

All of the socket covers Ive seen that hold a Hue dimmer switch look really chunky, so I've also used (earthed) metal blanking plates. Mine are painted the same colour as the wall with a smart button magnetically stuck in the middle.