Dimmer wiring

[WishIknewmore]

Hi

Often asked I know but I did a search and nothing seems to fit my situation.

I want to wire a dimmer to my two living room ceiling lights - I have 2 red wires, 1 black, 1 yellow and 1 blue plus an earth. The dimmer has 3 connections - L1, L2 and one with a wavy line and and arrow (I guess the latter is where the live goes?). Being a brass dimmer its case has an earth so that's simple enough.

Which wire goes to which connection on the dimmer?

thanks

 

[breezer]

exactly the same as your existing switch

L1 -L1

L2 -L2

~ goes to C (since it is only one left, if not you have wrong switch)

 

[WishIknewmore]

Breezer

Thanks but you'll need to be more specific (apologies its early) -

eg are both reds live and should they be twisted together at connected to L1? Which is the common - Black or Yellow? I know Blue is usually Neutral does that go to L2? If common is Black or yellow does that mean one of them can be twisted together with Blue and connected to L2?

thanks

 

[breezer]

from the beginning then.

existing switch

how many terminals

what are they labeled as

what colour wire (s) goes in which terminal

 

[WishIknewmore]

the existing dimmer was taken off a few days ago and like an idiot I didn't make a note of the connections - I recall some of the wires were doubled up but not which ones. The old switch had same 3 connections L1, L2 and Common. I know, I know!

 

[breezer]

all is not lost,

what is the other switch connected like? (its 2 way so there must be another one, i am also going out soon)

 

[WishIknewmore]

the other switch is a single rocker - red/blue and yellow as common.

 

[Big_Spark]

WIKM, from your description it would appear the connections go like this.

Yellow = Common (C) Terminal

Blue = Same Terminal as Rocker Switch (L1 or L2) + Black (mark with Red Tape if possible)

Red+Red in remaining Terminal (L1 or L2)

Remember, as the faceplate is brass you will need to take an Earth connection from the back of the box in the wall to the faceplate of the switch.

 

[breezer]

as FWL_Engineer would say "I concur"

 

[WishIknewmore]

Thanks to you both. I eventually worked it out and came up with the solution offered. My only problem now is getting the wires to stay in the terminals when I push the switch back into the hole in the wall. Isn't it about time someone came up with a more secure way of connecting wires/cables to switches and sockets?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Did you try tightening the little brass screws? I find that works a treat.

 

[WishIknewmore]

I'll assume your reply was meant to be humourous rather than sarcastic.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well - first of all treat it as a genuine question, think what your answer would be, and then you can choose whether you think I was being humorous or sarcastic. Or both.

For either you are not tightening the screws, or you are not tightening them enough or the wires aren't properly inserted in the first place.

Do you seriously imagine that the problem you are having is not because you've done something wrong?

 

[kendor]

The "wavy line with an arrow" terminal is the dimmer output which you connect the wire going to your light to