Strange 2 way switch setup query

[bazza2000]

Happy New Year all, 1st question from a DIY'er so please go easy.

I've just moved into a new house and want to update the lighting in one of the rooms which previously had wall mounted lights (now filed in a plastered over apparently) and ceiling lights with a strange 3 switch setup.



Hopefully the above diagram will make the query a little clearer, 1st a few facts

1) Switch 1 and Switch 2 are directly next to each other.
2) Switch 3 is on the other side of the room.
3) Switch 1 and Switch 3 successfully operate the ceiling lights
4) Switch 2 I believe used to switch the wall lights before the were removed (however, the wiring on the switch appear to have been left)

Switch 1 and 3 appear to be wired almost as a 2 way (except the Red wire strangely comes back into switch 2 for some reason) , however, I don't see where the actual live and switched live come into things.

Can anyone help me work out what is going on? and possibly give me some advice on how I can remove Switch 2 altogether as its no longer needed.

Thanks.,

 

[Andy™]

so what exactly are theses cables and how many? at a guess, switch 3 has 1x 3c&e, switch 1&2 have 2x 3c&e coming into them and split accross both switches?

the red coming into switch 2 from the light is the perm live, which feed one light via switch 2, and is the live feed for the 2 way switching between switch 1&3 and feeding the other light. nothing unusual apart from switch 1&2 being different switches rather than a 2 gang switch into a single box

to get rid of switch 2, youll need to safely terminate the blue into a term block or similar, and connect the 2 reds. only issue will be the terminations - you cant jsut plaster over them. if you can pull them into switch 1, or move switch 1 to 2 and get rid of 1, then all good. otherwise its a bit more complicated

youre also missing earths - if you missed them from the drawing all good, if they are not really there then you might want to consider getting the wiring checked as its either very old of potentially bodged

 

[bazza2000]

That great, thanks for the quick response.

I've just checked the switches again and yes, there are earth wires, on switch 3 (plastic cover) they are to the back box and Switch 1/2 (metal) they go to the cover. Whilst I was checking I noticed a mistake in my diagram. The switch 2 appears to have L1/L2/COM upside down from switch 1, hopefully you can see from the new image.



Updated diagram below with your assumptions:

 

[Andy™]

so switch 1&2 is a 2 gang swithc in a single box and not 2 independant switches like your drawing... could have pointed that out before... but still, most of what i said still applies. cant be bothered to rewrite it to suit the different actual layout from an incorrect drawing... but im sure youll figure out what needs done....

 

[bazza2000]

Yeah, apologies for that, but thanks for the info, much appreciated.