How to remove a switch from a wall for replacement or repair. Detailed instructions on how to change a switch How to unscrew a switch from the wall

To replace electrical wiring or due to some malfunction, it is sometimes necessary to remove the light switch. This work is not difficult to perform, but requires care and strict adherence to the rules. Special attention You should pay attention to safety by turning off the electrical network in an apartment or private house before removing the switch.

Actions in case of malfunction

First you need to determine the location of the fault. If the switch keys are difficult to move or there is a burning smell in the air, the source of the problem is clear. If there are no obvious signs of damage, you need to look at the location of the circuit breakers in the electrical panel on landing. The cause of the problem is often the pampering of children, the malicious actions of neighbors, or a regular power surge, as a result of which the apartment was left without power supply.

It is necessary to turn on the machine in the switchboard and test the operation lighting fixtures. If spontaneous shutdown occurs again, the reason is most likely a short circuit. In a switch, a short circuit occurs only in cases where the device is located above a live conductor. To make a circuit, a condition is necessary: the wire must not only be exposed, but also engage the switch contacts.

Checking the lamp and socket

Before disassembling the light switch, it is necessary to check the functionality of the lighting devices, including the contacts of the tab and the tightness of its installation. Statistically, problems with light bulbs or sockets are much more likely than a malfunctioning light switch. Lamps and sockets have significantly shorter service life compared to switches, so the risk of their failure is higher.

It is recommended to check the presence of phase current in various switch positions using an indicator screwdriver. In past decades, electricians did not see much difference where to install the switch - before or after the load. Currently, the preferred location for installing switches is the phase, leading conductor. If a difference during switching on is noted by the tester, there is no break in the electrical circuit - it is necessary to look for other causes of the problem.

Dismantling tools

If the problem is still in the light switch, you need to prepare the tools for the job.

You will need the following tools and materials:

screwdrivers (phillips and flathead);
pliers with insulated handles;
knife with plastic handle;
voltage indicator;
insulating tape.

Should be prepared workplace. It should be well lit. Since the power needs to be turned off, you will need a flashlight. Another option is to work in daytime in natural light.

There is a lot of dust inside electrical structures. To avoid staining interior items, it is recommended to move them away from the switch or cover them with plastic wrap.

Power outage

Before dismantling the switch, you need to turn off the power supply in the apartment or house. This is done in the electrical panel. Usually the shield is located on staircase or inside the apartment - at front door. If you are not sure which switch belongs to a particular room, it is better to turn off all the existing ones. Otherwise, there is a high risk of electric shock.

The lever is automatically turned to the lower position. When the power is turned off, you should double-check the presence of voltage with the indicator.

Removing the key

The process of removing the switch begins with removing the key. Without this, it will not be possible to continue dismantling work.

Removing the key is not difficult, but the specific steps may vary depending on the design of the switch, so you should carefully study the mechanism of a particular device.

The easiest method for removing a key is to pull it towards you. This is usually enough to remove the button.

In some models, simply pulling the key will not help. Dismantling of such switches is carried out by prying with a screwdriver the special connectors available on the side parts of the device.

Advice! When dismantling a key with a screwdriver, the applied forces must be calculated, otherwise it is easy to damage the switch structure.

Removing the frame

When disassembling the switch, you will need to remove the frame. Among the most common types of frames are:

Screw. Usually held on by screws. Removable with a screwdriver.
Clamping. These models have special clamps. To remove the frame, just bend the clamps. It is recommended to remove the sides of the frame one by one, and not all at once, so as not to damage the structure.

Switch disassembly

Most switch models are equipped with spacer-type fastenings. As soon as the fastening is released, the switch will easily move out of the socket.

Disconnecting wiring

On many types of switches, most of the wires are held in place by the use of bolts. To disconnect the wires, you just need to loosen the wires and pull the switch in your direction.

This completes the removal of the switch. You should remember the sequence of operations performed: if the internal mechanisms are in order (parts are not melted), the device will need to be assembled reverse order. If mechanical damage is found, there is no point in restoring the switch - it’s easier to go to the store and buy a new one.

Typically, a light switch will last up to 10-12 years, but there are times when it needs to be replaced sooner. The reasons may be different - mechanical damage, breakdown internal mechanism or obsolescence and unsightly appearance. For an experienced electrician, replacing a switch is a matter of five minutes. For a non-specialist, this time can increase to 10–15 minutes, but in any case, before you start disassembling the switch, it is useful to become familiar with its internal structure.

Replacing the old switch with a new one

Switches come in three types: with one key, two or three. To figure out how to make a replacement, consider an example of removing and installing a simple single-key switch.

Photo gallery: types of electrical switches

All types of switches, including single-key switches, can be designed for hidden or external wiring. Using a two-key switch, you can independently control two lines of lighting devices. Three-key switches are used relatively rarely, because they are needed in cases where it is necessary to turn on three different lights from one point device

Repair, dismantling and replacement of the switch is permitted only when the power is turned off.

Circuit breakers on switchboard must be turned off (checkbox below).

In order to ensure your own safety when carrying out work, you must turn off the electricity by lowering the corresponding flag circuit breaker

To finally make sure that there is no voltage at the contacts of the switch, it is recommended to use a household voltage indicator by placing a metal leg on each of the contacts in turn. Direct confirmation of a power outage is also the fact that the working lamp of the lamp does not light up when the switch is turned on (up button).

When voltage is present, the LED inside the transparent plastic case lights up

How to remove the old switch

First of all, you need to carry out visual inspection. There are many types of switches, and they differ in the method of assembly. In some, the outer cover is secured with screws, in others it is held on by plastic latches.

To remove this antique switch, you need to unscrew two bolts and remove the decorative cover

First, remove the top protective cover. If it is attached to screws, they need to be unscrewed. To do this, use a screwdriver with straight slots. If the fastening is made with latches, then before removing the cover you need to remove the key. This is done using the same screwdriver, carefully inserting it into the gap between the case and the key. If there are several keys, then each of them can be removed independently.

The key is carefully pryed off with a screwdriver inserted into the slot and removed using a screwdriver
When the key is removed, the entire internal structure of the switch becomes accessible for disassembly. If the wiring device is hidden, the switch is recessed into the depth of the wall and is mounted in the socket box using sliding legs. They need to be released by unscrewing the two screw bolts counterclockwise. You need to rotate them until the base falls out of the socket box. If the wiring is external, the fastening is slightly different. There are no sliding legs or socket box; the switch body is fixed directly to the wall.
The built-in switch is dismantled after unscrewing the two screws securing it to the socket box
By unscrewing two screws, you can remove the base, inside of which there is a contact pair that opens the current supply circuit to the lamp.
After unscrewing the bolts, the switch can be freely removed from the socket box
On last stage After dismantling the switch, the wires are disconnected from it. They are inserted into special terminal blocks and secured with screw clamps. By loosening the screws one and a half to two turns, you can easily pull the wires out of the sockets. They should not be completely unscrewed, since in some switches the fastening is designed in such a way that the cable is clamped between the screw and the square nut. If the nut comes off the thread, it will be difficult to reinstall it later.
After loosening the bolts securing the wires, the switch body will remain in your hands

Video: how to disassemble the switch

Installing a new switch

Assembly is carried out in reverse order.

The wires are connected in their places.
The base is inserted into the socket box and secured with spacer legs.
A plastic housing is screwed on top.
A key is inserted into the grooves.

It is important to install the switch so that the lamp turns on when the key is pressed up. The assembly of the switch for external wiring is carried out identically, with the difference that after securing the cable contacts, the base is screwed to the wall, then the housing is attached to it, and lastly the key is installed.

The switch is installed in the reverse order of removing the old device.

How to move a switch to another location

Sometimes there is a desire (or need) to move the switch to another location. For example, when the children in the family are growing up, but they still cannot reach the switch. The rules for installing electrical appliances allow the switch to be moved to a place convenient for the user. It is allowed to install the switch at a height of 80 to 160 cm from the floor. In order to make such a move, you must first decide on a new location. It is considered optimal to install a switch located 15–20 cm from the edge door jamb(right or left - it doesn’t matter, but it’s more common to install on the right).

The switch is installed 15–20 cm from the door on either side

If reinstallation is carried out within 1 m from the original location down or up, a groove is made in the wall. Its depth should be approximately 1.5 times the thickness of the cable (or cables) laid in the corrugation. The wire should lie freely inside the groove, without peeking out. The groove can be made with a hammer drill or wall cutter.
In order to do hidden wiring, a groove is made in the wall with a volume approximately 1.5 times larger than the size of the cable in the corrugated hose
A hole for the socket box is drilled at the location of the new switch position. This can be done with a hammer drill using a diamond bit. The hole depth should be no more than 5 cm in concrete and brick houses and 4.5 cm - in panel ones. As a rule, a crown with a diameter of 68 mm is used. However, there are various situations, and the crown is selected based on them. On this preparatory work are ending.
The hole for the socket box is drilled using a diamond core bit with a diameter of 68 mm
The next step is to turn off the power supply to the house (apartment) and completely disassemble the switch, described above. In addition to the switch itself, the socket box is also carefully removed from the wall. This can be done using a hammer drill or a simple chisel and hammer. Socket boxes in concrete and brick walls They are attached to plaster, which crumbles and breaks when exposed to impacts. It is important not to break the plastic body of the socket itself; it can be reused.
The socket box can be removed by carefully tamping its edges and crumbling the adhesive layer of plaster
After this, the cable is extended to the required length. It is best to connect the wires using a terminal block or a standard Wago block, but if this is not possible, you can make a simple twist, insulating it well with dielectric tape. According to the rules for laying cables in grooves, the cable must be placed in a corrugation. Minimum size corrugated plastic sleeve is (outer diameter) 16 mm. The metal corrugation can have a size of 9.8 mm in diameter. The junction of the old and new corrugation must also be insulated. The size of the extension cable is selected so that there is a margin of 5–10 cm.
If you don’t have terminal connectors at hand, you can do a regular twist, carefully insulating all open areas
After this, the socket box is installed in a new location. The simplest and quick way- fix it on alabaster, quick-hardening electrical plaster. The solution is diluted in the ratio of 1 part alabaster to 1 part water by volume. Since the plaster hardens very quickly, first install a socket box in the hole in the wall, insert a corrugated cable into it, and only then prepare the solution.
Alabaster must be diluted in water in a ratio of 1:1 and quickly applied to the required places, as it hardens very quickly
After the alabaster has been brought to the consistency of thick sour cream, it is used to fill the groove with the cable and the empty space around the socket box. After 25–30 minutes, the solution will harden and it will be impossible to change the position of the wiring, so everything needs to be done within 5–7 minutes. Later, with a different solution, the groove is completely puttied and leveled in the plane of the wall. Former location The location of the socket box is also completely filled with putty. For final leveling For all voids, ordinary plaster is used, which sets only after 25–30 minutes (and some up to an hour), which gives enough time for work. After the putty has completely dried (24 hours), the surface is sanded with sandpaper.
The groove must be filled with mortar and carefully leveled, and after the alabaster has dried, sanded with sandpaper
Installation and connection of the switch is carried out after the gate and socket box are completely dry. The connection procedure is described above.

Sometimes (more often this happens in panel houses old building) you can come across a switch that is fixed in a recess without the use of a socket. This practice was characteristic of buildings at the end of the previous century. The panels were poured at the factory, they provided for the installation of switches and sockets directly into concrete holes. For some (short) time, such switches worked properly, but the sockets were the first to fail and fell out of their sockets when the cord was pulled out. Therefore, if there is no socket under the switch, the task will only be simplified.

In the case where the switch is moved over a considerable distance, options for connecting it to another distribution box. But there is no point in describing this process without reference to specific situation. In this case the best solution There will be a consultation with an experienced electrician directly on site.

It is much easier and faster to reinstall the switch with external cabling. Obviously, in this case there is no need to ditch the walls; it is enough to stretch a cable channel or even just a corrugated cable to a new location.

External wiring is most often carried out in plastic boxes

For corrugated hoses, special brackets are available for sale that help secure them to the wall.

It is more convenient to fasten a corrugated hose with a cable inserted into it using plastic clips

Often such wiring is done in garages, warehouses and other office premises. A clear advantage is its high degree of accessibility during repair or maintenance work. In addition, you can always install additional conductors in the cable channel as needed.

Video: how to move a switch

Switch repair

Not always old switch you need to throw it away and replace it with a new one. Sometimes it is enough to repair it. The switch design is quite simple and in case of breakdown it can be repaired without special labor. If you carefully examine the disassembled switch, you can understand that the main function in it is performed by a contact pair, which moves from one position to another by mechanical force. In one position the electrical circuit is connected, in the other it is disconnected.

Required tools and materials

To disassemble and reassemble the switch, you only need one tool - a flat-head screwdriver, the size of which is 3–5 mm. To clean the contacts you need a piece sandpaper with fine grain or needle file.

The switch is disassembled using a regular flathead screwdriver.

How to disassemble a switch

The process of disassembling the switch was described above. For convenience, we present it here again.

Modern switches consist of a non-removable base, which is simply replaced in case of damage.

Cleaning contacts

If the switch is unstable (it turns on and sometimes does not turn on the lamp), most likely the reason lies in burnt contacts. Upon careful inspection, such contacts may appear slightly charred or even melted. This happens because the wire is not firmly secured in the terminal block. Another reason may be a voltage surge in the network at the moment of switching on. A lamp that is too powerful can also cause damage to the contacts over time. Be that as it may, the contact needs to be restored, then it will continue to serve properly. To do this, it is sanded with fine sandpaper until a uniform metallic color appears.

Use fine sandpaper to clean the contacts.

Sometimes the conductor may be tinned, that is, treated with tin. Then, instead of sandpaper, it is better to use a small file - a needle file.

How to assemble a switch

Assembly occurs in reverse order. If the repair is being carried out for the first time, you can lay out the parts on the table in the order of disassembly or photograph them step by step. When repairing a single-key switch, the location of the wires does not matter. But if it has two or three keys, then in order to avoid confusion, it is better to immediately mark the incoming core with a marker. They can also mark the place where it is connected.

When installing a double-lever switch, it is necessary to correctly connect the input conductor (phase), which is best marked during disassembly

You can check the result of the repair after installing the base in the socket box. To do this, you need to turn on the power supply on the panel and test the switch. If it works normally, you can complete the assembly and install the protective case and key.

Video: repair and replacement of the switch

When starting work on replacing the lighting switch, you need to take safety precautions. It must be remembered that electric current can cause damage to health and pose a danger to life. It is necessary to observe the main rule of health protection, which is that installation should only take place when the devices are disconnected from the power supply.

A simple sequence showing how to remove switches from a wall if someone else installed them requires basic knowledge on handling a screwdriver - a 220 V voltage indicator and performing the work carefully.

You can use a regular screwdriver, but there will be a risk of electricity if there are disturbances in the power supply circuit, induced currents or voltage in the neutral wire from other sources with high grounding resistance. To be sure, you can use thin rubber gloves.

Main variants of the situation

There are several differences in how you have to remove the switch. important features devices on a specific network.

These include:

Turning off the machine at the entrance to the room does not relieve you of the need to check the absence of voltage directly on the device being removed.

Strictly follow safety precautions when working with electricity

Before starting work complex circuit connections to electrical appliances must be completely de-energized, without exception. The result of deviation from electrical safety rules may be:

hit electric shock, burns, eye damage;
failure as a result of short circuit currents of electrical appliances that have not been switched off;
breakdown of insulation, switching fittings in the panel;
fire.

Be sure to take measures to prevent accidental switching on: lock the panel, hang a sign “Do not switch on - people are working!”

Dismantling the switch

All manipulations must be performed without excessive force.

The body of a modern switch is smooth, the fastening elements are hidden from view.

The material used for most parts is various types of plastic, metal parts are installed in the most necessary components, and sometimes ceramics are present.

All disassembly operations are performed without excessive force.

Contact density is ensured in 2 ways:

screw clamp (unscrew and remove the current conductor);
self-clamping terminal (press the lever and pull out the conductor).

If the contact overheats during operation, the metal parts may burn and the adjacent insulation may become charred. You can bite off the burnt section of the wire and not waste time and effort trying to tear off the soldered thread. The damaged part of the core must be removed in such a way that the remaining length is sufficient for a new connection. For detailed instructions on how to properly remove the switch, watch this video:

For the convenience of subsequent installation in place of a new switch, the ends of the wires can be immediately marked (phase, neutral, jumper). If it is not installed immediately new device, bare ends need to be insulated.

When a light switch fails, it becomes necessary to disassemble it. If it is discovered that the device does not work, the first step is to determine whether there is voltage in the apartment network. Then you need to remove the light bulb connected to the switch and check the serviceability of it and the socket. It often happens that the fault turns out to be somewhere else. If there is electricity in the rooms and the light bulb and socket are in order, the cause of the malfunction most likely lies in the switch itself.

How to disassemble a light switch yourself

Before removing the switch, you need to determine its type. It could be as follows:

One-, two- or three-key.
. In fact, it is a contact switch and is similar to a switch only in appearance.
Dimmer – a switch with a built-in device for regulating the brightness of incandescent and halogen lamps. It can be mechanical or with a microcontroller.
Pulse – a button connected by contacts to a special relay;
Touch – acoustic (triggered by a loud sound), controlled from an IR remote control or radio remote control.

Most users use key switches, which are worth considering first.

Power outage

Before removing an outlet or light switch, first turn off the electricity. In the room, the electrical wiring branches into several lines: sockets, lighting and leads to the electric stove. At the switchboard, the lighting power is turned off automatically, and then the absence of voltage is checked at its output.

Sometimes it turns out that it is not the phase wire that is connected to the machine, but the neutral wire. This can be done by an unqualified electrician who assembled the panel circuit. The circuit will work, but the lighting wiring will be constantly energized, regardless of whether the circuit breaker is turned on or not. If such an error is found, it should be eliminated by making the necessary changes to the circuit.

If you have difficulty choosing a line, you can turn off the input machine, turning off the power to the entire apartment.

How to disassemble a switch

Disassembly tools will require a flathead and Phillips screwdriver. Most models use flat mounting screws, but sometimes you can find cross-shaped ones.

Switches come with one, two or three keys. Without removing them, the device cannot be disassembled, since the fastening elements are hidden inside.

The devices vary in design, and disassembly methods may vary:

The key is pressed thumb to the wall from one edge and is removed if you pull the other one towards you (Fig. a). You should not pick it with a screwdriver or knife, as scratches will remain on the surface. Some keys fit tightly and can be pryed off by the edge with a screwdriver.
The key is pressed on the sides with your fingers, the fastenings are recessed, and it moves freely.
If there are connectors on the sides, pry them up with a screwdriver and gently pull them towards you, after which the key comes off.

Removing the keys (a) and frame (b) from the switch with your own hands

Double and triple keys are removed in turn. Then you need to remove the decorative frame, which is pressed against the mechanism by an insert located in the middle and held by latches. It should be removed by prying the edge with a screwdriver (Fig. b).

Afterwards, the fastening elements for the wiring and the switch mechanism will become accessible.

Switch mechanism with wire fastening elements

The frame may be secured with screws that need to be unscrewed. Most often it is fixed on the side latches. Plastic fastenings they bend back one by one and the frame comes away.

Before dismantling the mechanism, you need to find the core through which the phase is connected to the switch. To do this, voltage is applied to it, and the indicator checks the presence of voltage on both contacts. Then the key switches to the next position and the test is repeated.

If in all cases voltage remains on one contact, it means that the supply phase conductor is connected to it. The other core will go to the lamp. The phase for two- and three-key switches is found similarly. Home handyman should not worry about the number of wires connected. Among them there will be only one wire through which the supply voltage is supplied. The power supply is then switched off again and operation continues.

The fastening screws hold the spacer tabs that rest against side walls installation box. If you loosen the screws, the mechanism will freely come out of the wall. If it is secured to the box with screws, they should be removed.

Then unscrew the screws securing the wires and remove it from the wall recess. Check the absence of voltage on the mechanism using an indicator screwdriver. The input conductors can be secured with self-clamping terminals. To easily pull the wires out of the connector, press the locking levers. First, the phase wire is disconnected and insulated. Subsequently, it is reconnected to the phase contact of the new or repaired switch. If the pins are marked "L" and "1", the connection is made to "L". When they are designated “1” and “2”, the phase is connected to contact “1”.

Designation of contact L of the supply phase

In two- and three-key switches, the contacts are designated in a similar way:

two-key – “L”, “1”, “2” or “1”, “2”, “3”;
three-key – “L”, “1”, “2”, “3” or “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”.

In all cases, the devices have one common contact with the connected supply phase and outlet contacts to the lamps.

The phase connection must be to a fixed contact, and the outlet wire to a moving one. If everything is done correctly, the key will be pressed from above in the “on” position and from below in the “off” position.

After disassembly, the switch in a particular case looks as shown in the figure below (LEZARD brand). It contains 3 main elements: mechanism, frame and key.

What does a disassembled switch look like?

Switch repair

The device is inspected for the quality of contacts. If they are oxidized, they are cleaned. If the contacts melt, the switch cannot be repaired and should be replaced with a new one.

Then check the contacts at the places where the wires are attached and, if necessary, clean them. You also need to check the strength of the supply wires.

When choosing a new switch, you need to have the faulty one with you in order to find the right model using it.

Switch connection. Video

The video talks about how to properly connect a single switch to the network.

The method of disassembling a switch depends on its design. You should remove the keys and decorative frame carefully, since the fastenings are mostly made with plastic latches different designs. Work on disassembling the switch should be carried out with the mains voltage turned off.

Most often, the need to disassemble a light switch occurs when it fails. Although the design of the product is quite simple, sometimes manufacturers (mainly Legrand, Schneider, Viko) make the dismantling holes invisible in order to improve the design. The result may be accidental damage to the housing or a long time spent searching for clamps and connectors. So that readers of "" do not encounter such an absurd situation, we recommend that you view the detailed instructions for disassembling the case with your own hands.

So, in the starting position you have rocker switch, securely fastened inside the groove. First, prepare a tool to quickly disassemble the case - an indicator screwdriver, which will be quite sufficient.

Instructions for disassembling a light switch in an apartment are as follows:

Disconnect the circuit breaker that protects the electrical wiring from network overloads and short circuits.
Make sure there is no electricity in the room using an indicator screwdriver.
Remove the key(s). It doesn’t matter which one you use: single-key, double or three-key. To remove the key, you need to squeeze it with your fingers on the sides (in the middle) and carefully remove it from the case (as shown in the photo). Sometimes the part “sits” firmly inside the case and in order to get it out you need to pry off one of the edges with a screwdriver.
Remove the decorative frame. In some cases, the frame is secured with two bolts from the inside; less often, the part is held in place by grooves that need to be lightly pressed with a screwdriver to disassemble the electrical accessories. Another option for fixing the frame is using additional element, which is mounted in the grooves of the caliper.
Remove the “core” from the socket. There are two screws on the sides of the case that secure the mechanism to the wall. All you need to do is unscrew them with a screwdriver. There is another option for holding the case in the socket box - with spreading legs. They need to be loosened by unscrewing the bolts on the sides that adjust the thrust angle.
Disconnect the lead wires. Phase, ground and neutral can be secured with self-clamping terminals or a screw clamp. In the first case, you just need to press the locking levers and pull the wires out of the connectors. The screw terminals must be unscrewed with a screwdriver and the wires carefully removed.