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I have two sets of lights in my kitchen. At one end of the kitchen, I have a 2 Gang light switch which operates both sets of lights, and at the other end I have a single light switch which operates the lights at that end of the kitchen. I want to eliminate the single gang light switch totally so it just leaves the 2 gang light switch to control both sets of lights.

How do I do that?

Niall C.
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Roy
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3 Answers3

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Your circuit contains two 3-way switches. Referring to the diagram below:

  • if the switch with the incoming "hot" is the one you want single control from (shown at left)-

1) replace that switch with a single-pole switch

2) connect either of the "traveler" wires to the load side

3) remove the other (unwanted) switch and connect the traveler wire used in step-2 to the "switched hot" wire that goes to the lights.

4) the unused "traveler" wire is abandoned

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  • If the switch without the incoming "hot" is the one you want single control from (shown at right)-

1) remove the switch with the incoming hot (shown at left) and connect the incoming hot to either of the "traveler" wires

2) replace the other switch (shown at right) with a single-pole switch

3) connect the "traveler" wire used in step 1 to one side of the switch

4) connect the "switched hot" that goes to the lights to the other side of the switch.

5) the unused "traveler" wire is abandoned

Jimmy Fix-it
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5

Replace the double pole with a single. Cap the red on both ends, keep the white and black attached as normal on the remaining switch, and tie the black and white together on the removed switch.

Daniel Griscom
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Paul Denies
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1

To expand on Paul's response. Since everyone else's is so dang complicated. But his was lacking enough detail.

Step 1: Remove the 3-way switch from the junction you want to remain and (Assuming this is the hot source) replace the switch with a single pole switch. (continued on step 2)

Knowledge 1: 3-way switches only have 1 hot (the black). Then two wires that run through to a second switch to the circuit that are called travelers.

Knowledge 2: At the power source switch, the whites are tied together and capped. Leave them like that.

Step 2: Place the black into one of the hot poles (gold)

Step 3: Identify the traveler (white or red) and attach it to the other hot pole. (mine was red)

Step 4: On 3 way switch being removed, take the chosen traveler (mine was red). tie it together with the power traveler (mine was black)

Knowledge 3: You can trial and error what you tie together as long as you make sure the power on the input. Is seperately attached.

SuperMar1o
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