changing a two way switch for a dimmer

[mikey690]

ive just changed a two wat switch with a dimmer,it work fine until i swich the lights off up stairs then they wont come back on with the dimmer,both switches are wired up the same way red=l1,blue=l2 and arrow/sqiggle or L =yellow. any help will be apprecated thanx

 

[Newboy1996]

There are better experts than me here, but don't think you can have two way dimming. You need one lamp, one, 1w dimmer.

 

[mikey690]

i have a dimmer at the bottom ov the stairs and a switch at the top

 

[RF Lighting]

Is there just a 3 core and earth at both switches, or are there some other wires at the non dimmer switch?

 

[breezer]

assuming oneis a dimmer the other is an on/off switch, what is the rating of the dimmer and what is the rating of the light and its lamps, if it was working i would say you have fried the dimmer

 

[mikey690]

there are just the three wires and a earth on both the dimmer and the on/off switch, the dimmer is a 400watt and the light as three 50watt gu10 bulds,i thought ov a dimmer been busted so tried it in my own room it works,so i left it there an went an bought another one haha.

 

[mikey690]

the first pic is the dimmer at the bottom of the stairs,the other is a on/off switch at the top of the stairs,when the lights are knocked off upstairs they cant for some reason be switched on at the dimmer.HELP PLEASE

 

[mikey690]

Untitled

• mikey690
• 15 Jun 2008
• 1

Untitled

• mikey690
• 15 Jun 2008
• 1

 

[Newboy1996]

This might help, I say might!

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Newboy1996]

Has nobody ever laid a romantic table for two on the landing with low lights, you haven't lived!

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[mikey690]

Is there just a 3 core and earth at both switches, or are there some other wires at the non dimmer switch?

nope there are no other wires just the three plus the earth

 

[mikey690]

problem solved red - squiggle/arrow, l1=blue, l2=yellow

 

[securespark]

What you describe in your first post sounds like a strapper problem. Alternatively, it could be a faulty dimmer.

First, you need to check that the the wire you have in the common terminal (squiggle) is the common. You should have a live feed at one switch and a switchwire at the other.

Disconnect the supply & the switches at both ends. Put blocks on the ends of the conductors & restore power. Using a two pole tester, check between earth & one other conductor at each switch position to determine the live feed.

bear in mind if you cannot find 230V with reference to earth, you may not have a good earth.

Once that is determined, use this live feed to determine which conductor at the other switch position is the switchwire.

Once this is done, you know these conductors go in the common terminals. The others go in L1 & L2.

To eliminate a faulty dimmer, replace the dimmer temporarily with a plateswitch.

Remember, SAFETY FIRST. If you're not confident with the above, leave it to someone who is.