Dimmer Wiring

[pinheadplanet]

Hi

I have a hallway light that has stopped working. It works off of 2 switches, a single dimmer downstairs and a double dimmer upstairs (with the other switch controlling the landing light)

I removed the single dimmer switch downstairs and replaced it with another dimmer switch from the bedroom and all worked fine, so I assumed it was the dimmer switch and have bought a new one. The markings are slightly different but I wired it up as the previous switch:

Old single dimmer switch:
Red - squiggle with an arrow through
Yellow - L2
Blue - L1

downstairs original dimmer

• pinheadplanet
• 30 Mar 2012
• 1

Upstairs double dimmer:
Red - squiggle with an arrow through
Yellow - L2
Blue - L1

upstairs double dimmer

• pinheadplanet
• 30 Mar 2012
• 1

New single dimmer switch:
Red - C
Yellow - L2
Blue L1

new dimmer

• pinheadplanet
• 30 Mar 2012
• 1

But when I put the power back on it didn't work, have I done something wrong? Is there another problem?

Thanks in advance.

 

[securespark]

These are standard dimmers?

In which case, you cannot have dimmers at both switching positions.

 

[17thman]

Has the new dimmer that you purchased got a rating on it. Some dimmers need a certain amount of watts to work. others are low load which will works, lets say, on a standard "energy saving lamp" , if it is dimmable.

 

[securespark]

That's a huge dimmer! What is its minimum load?

 

[pinheadplanet]

Has the new dimmer that you purchased got a rating on it. Some dimmers need a certain amount of watts to work. others are low load which will works, lets say, on a standard "energy saving lamp" , if it is dimmable.

New dimmer is the same as the old one 60-400W and there's a 60W bulb in it (the old style)

 

[17thman]

These are standard dimmers?

In which case, you cannot have dimmers at both switching positions.

you can, but it is bad advice as you cannot brighten up from the other one.

 

[pinheadplanet]

These are standard dimmers?

In which case, you cannot have dimmers at both switching positions.

I'd heard you can only have 1 dimmer but it's been working for the 5 years we've been here, and assumingly before then too.

 

[17thman]

you have checked your electrical connections at the new dimmer, you have not screwed into the insulation of the conductor have you.?

 

[17thman]

try the newly purchased dimmer at the position where you obtained the "test" one from in the bedroom.

 

[pinheadplanet]

you have checked your electrical connections at the new dimmer, you have not screwed into the insulation of the conductor have you.?

Just checked all wired in ok.

Ah!!!! Just had a 'fiddle' (with the lights!) maybe I had the dimmer all the way down upstairs when i turned the power on... MAYBE! Anyway the light comes on now but it's really flickering when you dim it.

I usually leave the dimmer turned up full upstairs and just use the downstairs dimmer to dim the light but as I say it's just flickering now. Only when you turn it up full and then back a little will it light constantly without flickering (looks like on full output), ideas?

 

[pinheadplanet]

try the newly purchased dimmer at the position where you obtained the "test" one from in the bedroom.

I did think of that, I'll do it now, back in 5

 

[pinheadplanet]

OK so to check the one that I thought was broken I wired it in upstairs in the bedroom and it didn't work which confirms it's broken.

Wired the new dimmer into the bedroom and it works fine with no flickering (single switch in room)

Just for the hell of it I wired the dimmer from the bedroom into the downstairs hallway and it works fine with no flickering...

So how's that then?

 

[Spark123]

Leading edge switching, trailing edge switching etc etc etc. There's that many variables that it is impossible to say.
Fact is, as Securespark said above, you are not meant to have two normal dimmers controlling the same light. If it works it is a fluke.
It is possible to have master-slave setups which are meant for two way switching.

 

[pinheadplanet]

So where do I go from here?

Should I put normal switches upstairs and retain a single dimmer downstairs, should that solve it?

The new dimmer I bought is chrome and doesn't fit in with the rest of the sockets upstairs (nor does it fit into the backbox) & needless to say the one I took from the bedroom is brass and doesn't fit in with the rest of the sockets downstairs. If I've already wasted money on the chrome dimmer I don't really want to buy anymore without knowing they'll work

 

[riveralt]

So where do I go from here?
Should I put normal switches upstairs and retain a single dimmer downstairs, should that solve it?

Personally speaking I wouldn't let dimmers go anywhere near the stairs/landing area - but if you insist then if you have a single gang 2 way switch then replace it with a single gang 2 way dimmer.