dimmer light switch

[ami786]

hi
i am changing myy bedroom light switch to a dimmer one.i removed the cover plate and found that there are 2 live wires each going in one terminal .there is also the neutral and the earth wire each going in one terminal.i am unsure of what to do as i want to connect a 1 way dimmer switch.i was hoping to find only 1 live wire .please advise me of how to connect it safely.thxs

 

[superspark]

are you sure about these connections, don't sound right at all.
post a pic if poss.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You may have two permanent live conductors, but you do not have a neutral connected to the switch.

Apply a little brain-power - think what a switch must do in terms of making and breaking connections between terminals in order to allow or stop current flowing to lights to make them work.

Then think what would happen if you connected a live and a neutral to the switch.

I think you may be assuming that the black wire is neutral - it's not, it's the switched live.

See the For Reference section for details of how lighting circuits are wired.

 

[ami786]

A label on the underside of the existing white plastic cover plate state 2 way .the switch however is used as a one way.there are 2 set of cables entering from the back cover .one cable has a single red wire connecting to one terminal.the second cable has 3 wires .a red,a black and a green/light one .the red one connect to another terminal and the same with the black one.the green/yellow which i think is the earth wire is connected on the plastic box.please let me know if these details help and advise about the connection to to the dimmer light .thxs

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Your different descriptions seem to contradict each other:

there are 2 live wires each going in one terminal .there is also the neutral and the earth wire each going in one terminal.i am unsure of what to do as i want to connect a 1 way dimmer switch.i was hoping to find only 1 live wire .please advise me of how to connect it safely.thxs

A label on the underside of the existing white plastic cover plate state 2 way .the switch however is used as a one way.there are 2 set of cables entering from the back cover .one cable has a single red wire connecting to one terminal.the second cable has 3 wires .a red,a black and a green/light one .the red one connect to another terminal and the same with the black one.the green/yellow which i think is the earth wire is connected on the plastic box.please let me know if these details help and advise about the connection to to the dimmer light .thxs

but I think it's a wording problem - I guess English is not your first language (please don't apologise for that!).

I think a photo, or a drawing would be useful, or a very clear description of what goes where, using the names of the terminals on the switch (will be COM or C, L1 & L2, or L1, L2 & L3).

I think that it is possible that at one time there were two switches, one by the door and a pull-cord switch over the bed, which has now been removed, and replaced with a connector block, or just left above the ceiling.

It may be useful for you to buy a multimeter so that you can identify live & neutral wires....

 

[ami786]

i will do my best to clarify things.i have a two way switch which i want to replace with a one way metal dimmer switch.the 2 way switch cover plate has three terminals.a red wire goes to the COM terminal,another red wire goes to the L1 terminal and a black wire goes to the L2 terminal.A green/yellow wire goes to the earth terminal on the casing box.please advise me how to to connect these wires on a one way dimmer light.thxs

 

[Adam_151]

Put the wire from Com into com on your dimmer, and put the other two wires into L1 on the dimmer

if there is another switch for the light hidden behind a cupboard or anything, then it just won't do anything anymore but will still be live