Varilight Touch Dimmer - Wiring Question

[thellers]

Hi,

I've just bought a Varilght touch dimmer with accompanying Slave to replace the normal rocker switches in the two-way circuit in our lounge.

I've been trying to wire these up for the past few hours and have had no joy. The wiring diagram on the leaflet is giving me no help whatsoever, because it *looks* on the diagram like I need basically 8 wire 'ends' (3 at each switch to connect the live, slave and load terminals in to each other, plus the live in, plus the load out). This does not make any sense to me as we have what I understand to be an absolutely normal (if very old fashoined in our house) two way set up, with only 3 wires in each switch, and where the wires are connected like this:

Untitled

• thellers
• 5 Sep 2008
• 2

I just cannot seem to ratify the Varilight instruction diagram with the reality as shown in my diagram above.

Can any PLEASE help me out... maybe using my image above as reference? Is it even POSSIBLE to install the Varilights in this scenario? I thought this would be so simple!!

As a second issue, I was wondering if it mattered in which order the Master and Slave Varilights are fitted? The reason I ask is that I don't know which of the two light switches in the lounge is 'first' in the circuit (ie. which one equates to S1 in my diagram).

Please help!! I'm tearing my hear out!!

Thanks,

Andy

 

[breezer]

never fitted one, but from what you have said

(3 at each switch to connect the live, slave and load terminals in to each other, plus the live in, plus the load out)

but you then say

with only 3 wires in each switch,

not what varilight ask for is it.

 

[thellers]

Well, it would appear not, but I was wondering if I was mis-reading the diagram or misunderstand the situation in some other way.

I was under the impression (and still am) that the 2-way setup in our lounge (as per my image) is pretty typical, so I'm pretty surprised/confused as to why it's apparently not right... that's the basis of my question, really.

 

[breezer]

your drawing is not pretty typical of a 2 way set up.

its not Tom Jones, but its not common

 

[thellers]

OK, fair play.

So from your reply, and further Googling, it seems clear I can't use these Varilight remote/touch dimmers on this circuit. Fair enough... I'm a bit gutted about that, but you live and learn.

So, my next question is, can I dim this circuit AT ALL? Even with a 'traditional' knob-based dimmer? Trying to understand how dimmer(s) would work in this (non-typical) two-way setup makes my brain ache... If both switches were dimmers, would the dimming level depend upon which one was 'on'? ie. are they like two variable resistors, and depending which one is being used, that one's dimming level will be respected?

Sorry if I'm being a bit thick here but I've put tonnes of time and effort into sorting this out (remote lighting etc) and I seem to have come up against a bit of a brick wall.

 

[breezer]

you can only have 1 dimmer in any dimming set up.

it doesnt matter which end it goes at, but you can only have the one dimmer, which is why some one made the ones you also have, one is a dimmer the other is a slave to the dimmer

 

[cjard]

A friend of mine has varilight throughout his house and has some 2 ways.. He was explaining, once upon a time, how they worked and apparently the 2 way setuos are really quite sophisticated and need to be wired up exactly how varilight say, because the slave dimmer is jsut a straight connector from an electrical point of view, but it actually tells the master dimmer how much to dim?! Presumably one of the wires between slave and master is hence the control wire that the slave uses to communicate with the master..

 

[slup]

The Varilight diimmers are really easy to wire up.

You need one master dimmer and any number of slave units. The master can be installed at any of the locations - it doesn't matter.

All you need is a three core cable between each dimmer - all wired like for like. At the location where your live and switched live are, just connect those to the 'Live' and 'Load' terminals on the dimmer.

Steve

 

[slup]

Also, bear in mind that the master dimmer has an IR receiver in it so you can remote control that one. Might come in useful under some circumstances.

Steve

 

[slup]

Having said all that, looking at the original posters drawing, I think the only option would be to fit one conventional dimmer and one 2-way switch.

Steve

 

[breezer]

I think the only option would be to fit one conventional dimmer and one 2-way switch.

we know that, but the OP never asked that

Can any PLEASE help me out... maybe using my image above as reference? Is it even POSSIBLE to install the Varilights in this scenario? I thought this would be so simple!!

slup as you are new here, what do you suppose the EDIT button does