The old switch had a yellow wire in L1, blue wire in L2 and the red wire in the other terminal. Now, the dimmer switch I have only has the L1 and L2 terminals. I've spent half a day staring at it and trying to will another terminal but to no avail!!! What do I do with this red wire, please help?!! Have I been stitched up with a switch that won't work in UK?
Installing dimmer switch
- Thread starter Colmal
- Start date
Sponsored Links
Keep it, and go and buy a 2-way dimmer switch.
Do you realise, BTW, that if you replace a 2-way switch with a dimmer, when you turn the light on using the switch it will be at the brightness setting the dimmer was at then you turned the lights off, so if that isn't what you want you'll have to walk over to it to twiddle the knob?
Do you realise, BTW, that if you replace a 2-way switch with a dimmer, when you turn the light on using the switch it will be at the brightness setting the dimmer was at then you turned the lights off, so if that isn't what you want you'll have to walk over to it to twiddle the knob?
Colmal said:
No, you bought the wrong kind of dimmer.
Your original switch is 2-way so, as BAS says, you need a 2-way switching dimmer. The one you did buy can be used somewhere else. By the way, did you know that not all lights work properly with dimmers. What kind have you got? 
As already stated you have bought the wrong dimmer type, you need two way function.
Also you need to have the switch rated higher, than the output of the lights it is operating.
Not all dimmers are rated the same!
Also you need to have the switch rated higher, than the output of the lights it is operating.
Not all dimmers are rated the same!
Sponsored Links
Colmal - I think it would be a good idea if you spent some time studying the info here:
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting
before doing any fiddling....
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting
before doing any fiddling....
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
