4 Gang Single 2 Way Light Switch - Strawberry

Four rockers sit on a single screwless plate, so several lighting circuits are switched from the same spot by the doorway. Each rocker is wired two way, which means it can act as half of a pair at the top and bottom of a stairway, or work on its own for straightforward on and off. The plate is 88mm square with crisp edges and no screw heads on show, and chrome inserts ring the rockers against the strawberry face.

We would fit this where a room has several things to light: an open plan kitchen and dining space with downlights, pendants over the island, worktop lighting and a wall light, all wanting separate control from the same switch position. It earns its keep in hallways too, taking the hall, the porch and the landing without a row of separate plates breaking up the wall. This is a switch for indoor rooms fed by a household lighting circuit, so kitchens, bedrooms, halls and living rooms rather than a shower room or a garden store.

The body is moulded polycarbonate and double insulated, and the front of the plate stays unbroken by any visible fixings, which is what gives the screwless style its flat, quiet look. Keep it sharp by turning the lighting circuit off at the consumer unit, wiping the plate with a barely damp cloth and drying it straight away; solvent cleaners and cream abrasives will dull the strawberry and cloud the chrome brightwork. It carries a ten year warranty. Strawberry is a decisive colour, so we find it reads best against a plain wall, where the chrome picks up handles, taps or lamp bases already in the room.

What current rating do the rockers carry?

Each rocker is rated 10AX, which covers normal domestic lighting circuits, including runs of LED lamps, filament lamps and low energy fittings.

How much wall space does the plate take up?

The plate measures 88mm by 88mm, with a depth of 25mm behind it, so it keeps to the footprint of a standard square plate.

What does two way mean in practice?

Two way lets a rocker be paired with a second switch elsewhere, so a stairway or long corridor can be controlled from either end. Wired as one way, it simply switches its circuit on and off.

Is it safe to use without an earth connection at the plate?

It is Class 2, double insulated, so protection comes from the construction of the moulded polycarbonate plate itself rather than an earthed metal front.

Can it go in a bathroom or outside?

No. It is IP20, for dry indoor positions only, so choose a fitting made for damp or exposed locations in those areas.

How should marks and fingerprints be removed?

Switch the circuit off, then use a soft cloth slightly damp with water, drying immediately. Keep polish, solvents and scouring creams away from both the coloured plate and the chrome inserts.