4 Gang Single 2 Way Light Switch - Carbon Fibre

Four rockers sit on a single screwless plate here, each one wired as two way so it can work in a pair with a switch elsewhere in the room. The face carries a carbon fibre texture, a fine woven pattern with a dry, slightly grippy feel to it, while the rockers are picked out in chrome for contrast. At 88mm square, the plate stays compact for the number of circuits it looks after.

A plate like this earns its keep at the foot of the stairs or just inside a kitchen door, where several lighting circuits land in one place: the ceiling lights, the under cupboard strip, a pair of wall lights and the hall beyond. It is one we suggest where a row of separate plates would start to look cluttered. The dark textured face suits graphite and black schemes, media rooms and home offices with an industrial leaning, and it reads as a quieter choice than a polished metal plate. It is for domestic lighting circuits indoors, and we would keep it to rooms that stay dry rather than a shower room or an unheated garage.

The body is moulded polycarbonate with metal working parts inside, double insulated, and the textured finish hides fingermarks better than a gloss face does. Keeping it smart asks very little: turn the power off at the consumer unit, wipe the plate with a barely damp cloth and dry it at once, and keep solvents and cream cleaners away from the texture, as they will flatten it. It carries a ten year warranty. If you are rewiring a whole room, it looks best when the sockets and any other switches follow the same plain, screwless line, so the walls read as one thought rather than a collection of odds and ends.

What does two way mean on this switch?

Each of the four rockers can be wired as part of a pair, so a light can be turned on at one point in the room and off at another, such as at the top and bottom of a staircase. Wired as a single point, they work perfectly well as ordinary one way switches.

What is the current rating?

It is rated at 10AX, which covers normal domestic lighting circuits at 220-250V.

How big is the plate?

The plate measures 88mm by 88mm, with a depth of 25mm behind the face.

What is it made from?

Polycarbonate with metal internal parts, finished in a carbon fibre texture with chrome rockers. It is Class 2, double insulated.

Can I use it in a bathroom?

No. It is intended for dry indoor rooms only, so a hallway, bedroom, kitchen or living room rather than a bathroom or an exposed outbuilding.

How should I clean the textured finish?

Power off at the consumer unit first, then use a soft cloth, just damp, and dry the plate immediately. Avoid abrasive pads, polishes and solvent cleaners, which will dull the woven texture.