Replacing a One Way Light Switch with a Dimmer Switch

[AGSpartacus]

Hi all,

Am going round and round in circles with this and thought its time to ask the experts...

We have a new build, and am trying to change the living room light switch to a dimmer, but need advice on the connections.

The current switch has two brown wires into the L1 port at the top of the switch (which also has the word "COM" moulded on the plate near the L1 connection), and a single brown wire connected to the L2 port. I've installed a dimmer in the kitchen and was able to just match up the L1's and L2's etc... However the new Varilight dimmer doesn't have any COM, or L1's, 2's and 3's, it had a LOAD, SLAVE and LIVE.

My guess would be the two brown wires currently in L1 should be connect to the new LIVE connector, and the single brown wire in L2 would go to LOAD on the new switch.

Does that sound right? I would take an educated guess, but I'm not educated, and don't really want to take any chances ;o)

Many thanks for any help...

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...ht-switch-with-a-dimmer.497563/#ixzz56pa7xQLb

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is there no diagram in the instructions?

This shows how switches are labelled, connected, and work internally: https://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Single-way-lighting

 

[AGSpartacus]

There is a diagram in the instruction but it's very small I'd need a microfiche reader to decipher it, and even then I don't think I'd understand it.

I'll dig it out asap and attach

Thanks for any assistance.

 

[securespark]

This one?
https://www.varilight.co.uk/leaflets/V-Pro Eclique Dimmer Instructions 816.pdf

 

[AGSpartacus]

Securespark, it's not that exact one but the diagram looks the same - the one in the link is slightly more detailed. The photos I have from the illegible photocopied instruction leaflet just weren't clear enough to post.

So I can see the neutral connects to the LOAD in the switch, and the live to the LIVE in the swtich. I'm just 50/50 on the configuration of my two browns to the L1, and 1 brown to the L2 (in the current switch). I'm guessing the two brown would be connected to the LOAD and the brown to the LIVE?

 

[bernardgreen]

So I can see the neutral connects to the LOAD in the switch, and the live to the LIVE in the swtich.

Cinnect Neutral and Live the switch and the switch wil be destroyed.

The wire that goes into the LOAD terminal is NOT Neutral, it is Switched Live

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So I can see the neutral connects to the LOAD in the switch, and the live to the LIVE in the swtich. I'm just 50/50 on the configuration of my two browns to the L1, and 1 brown to the L2 (in the current switch). I'm guessing the two brown would be connected to the LOAD and the brown to the LIVE?

You really could do with reading up on circuits, how house wiring works etc.

• https://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting
  
  
• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=electrical+circuits+101
  
  
• http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/House_Wiring_for_Beginners
  
  
• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=uk+house+wiring+(basics+OR+101)
  
  
• http://kevinboone.net/electricity.html
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/domesticinstallations.html
  
  
• https://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:books
  
  
• https://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:index

 

[AGSpartacus]

This is totally not my bag, I figured it would be straight forward - out with the old, in with the new.

Here's the new switch:
(see attachment: IMG_7566.JPG)

And here's the existing switch, as wired currently:
(see attachment: IMG_7567.JPG)

Like I said, I just wanted to confirm the best way to do this as its a little confusing for me. I don't know why it's all changed or what was wrong with the way it works, but I guess this is the new standards...

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[AGSpartacus]

Sorry, for some reason the pictures I included haven't come through... I've made some attachments now.

I can't even work a forum, what chance do I have with electrics?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Compare your second photo with the drawing under "Looping at switches" here: https://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting-Circuit-layouts.

 

[mwatsonxx]

The two wires that are together go into the terminal "live" and the other wire goes into terminal "load"

 

[AGSpartacus]

ban-all-sheds
Yes, that diagram is just like my current switch say for the wire colour changes, but the one question those pictures don't answer is what does the new LOAD equate to in the old setup, mrwatsonxx is suggesting my two brown wires - current L1(COMmon) should connect to the new LIVE, while my old L2 connection (single brown wire) would be the LOAD.

I was just after clarification LOAD and LIVE equates to what from my old setup, but think mrwatsonxx has done that..

Thanks for all your help.

mrwatsonxx
Thanks for your advice...

 

[EFLImpudence]

the one question those pictures don't answer is what does the new LOAD equate to in the old setup,

The load is the electricity-using part - the light.

mrwatsonxx is suggesting my two brown wires - current L1(COMmon) should connect to the new LIVE,

He is very probably correct.
It could be a possibility that the single wire were the live and the two wires went to two lights.

while my old L2 connection (single brown wire) would be the LOAD.

Whichever, the wire that goes to the light.

I was just after clarification LOAD and LIVE equates to what from my old setup, but think mrwatsonxx has done that..

With your old switch it doesn't matter which way round it is connected - it is just a switch which joins wires together.

 

[AGSpartacus]

Thanks for the feedback EFLImpudence. I didn't do the wiring, so not sure where any of the wires go. Am hoping to try mrwatsonxx's solution shortly.