How can I convert a dual switch to a single switch for my ceiling fan and light, and also remove phone jacks without using plates in my 2004-built house?
Asked by Jannie De Coninck 
2 months ago
Last Updated: October 21, 2024
I’m thinking about changing from a dual switch to a single switch in a room with a ceiling fan and light. There are two switches at each entrance – one single switch for the light and the other a dual switch for the light and fan. I haven’t opened up the dual switch box yet, but I’m guessing the fan switch is connected to the light switch on the same circuit. How should I go about converting it to a single switch? I’ll need to modify the box and then cover it with drywall. The house was built in 2004, so it’s not too old. We’re planning to add a built-in library, so I want to get rid of the phone jacks without using a plate. Any advice on that as well? Check out the picture for reference.
Make sure your breaker is off before working on this. Inside the gang box, there is one power source and the other switch is connected to it. Remove the jumper and connect the two wires from the top of the switches with a new jumper and wire nut inside the box. Connect the single jumper to the top of the remaining hot switch.
Just take the box off of the stud it’s attached to, carefully. Remove the wires and replace it with a single gang box for remodeling. Then patch up the remaining hole.
Sure, we could switch it out easily. It fits in a single gang box.
I just realized the light was on a 3-way switch after reading your post again. Ignore everything I said before, except for the instructions on installing the new box. The switch Josh mentioned could be an option, but I’m not sure if you can find a 3-way compatible one.
Do you think the switch I posted would work if it’s a three-way? Three-way switches always confuse me, haha.
I’m not completely sure, but if one of the switches is a 3-way, then yes, it should work. If they’re both single pole toggles, then no, it won’t work.
So, basically, you can use a any 3-way switch with just one switched source, but you can’t use a single pole switch with a light that has multiple switches.
If you connect the fan and light wires in your ceiling fan box the way I suggested, it should work.
Take out the phone jacks and cover them with drywall. It’s not up to code to drywall over half of the two-gang switches like this. Remove the box and add drywall to create space for a single gang switch.
So all you have to do is cap the phone wire with electrical tape and remove the box. Or maybe you could get away with skipping that step, what do you think?
If you’re without a landline, just snip the phone wires as close as possible to the wall, then push them in and cover the hole. You can tape them first if you prefer, but it’s low voltage anyway.✌
First off, you probably have a couple of 3-way switches for the light and a single one for the fan. Before we can proceed, it would be helpful to see pictures of each switch after removing the cover plate. This will help us understand the setup better. Converting to a single gang shouldn’t be too difficult once we have a clear view of the wiring.
I’m not quite there yet. I believe the connection has gone from the light switch to the fan switch, which should be a straightforward change. I was more curious about converting the box. I might post again with details on the wiring and which switches to use.
I’m asking about the wiring because it would be helpful to know if the box is fed from the top or a combination of top and bottom. If it’s only fed from the top, locate the stud and use a large screwdriver to pry the box out. It’s usually held in place with two nails, sometimes screws but not very often. For ceiling boxes, I usually use the handle of a hammer to punch out the box. It’s not as deep in the wall, but you can still use the handle, just make sure the wires are out of the way. Once the box starts moving, you’ll be able to pry it out. Then just install the new box, since you have space, mounting the box with screws should be fairly easy. Make sure the power is off, you can also take pictures before disconnecting, they’ll come in handy when reconnecting the wires for the 3-way switches, which most people find confusing.