Installing dimmer in existing 2 way circuit...

Just a problem I've got at the minute. The lighting circuit in the front room is 2 way, both ends are a standard light switch. I've replaced one end with a dimmer switch (blue, yellow and red cables), and put in a new 2 way light switch the other end (lots of cables this end, the blue, yellow and red from the other switch, and also another red, a brown, and a blue and black in a choc block).

So I've installed both switches, but the fitting can only be switched from one end and not turned off/dimmed from the other. Am I missing something here?

I assume it was a 2-way dimmer, with push on-off?

Provided you kept the same COM/L1/L2 connections as the old switches (the dimmer of course probably won't use those symbols), what you should have is from the dimmer end the ability to turn the light on and off, and control how bright it is, and from the switch end just to turn it on and off, but with it coming on at whatever brightness setting the dimmer was left at.

If you haven't then you've not wired it up how it was before.

Did you make notes?

What wires went where before, and where do they go now?

That's the mistake I made, not taking note.

I've got the yellow, blue and red from the other switch going up the wall in the trunking and into the ceiling, and a red and black going up the trunking too. Then I've got my brown coming through the wall.

And yeah it is a 2 way push on/off dimmer.

Typically one switch will have a permanent and switched live, and will be connected to the other one with a 3-core & earth cable.



Your permanent & switched live appear to be cores in 2 different cables.

You need to relate what you have to how it should be wired - once you see how it works you should be able to put yours right. You might like to temporarily put the switch back instead of the dimmer, until you have 2-way switching going again.

What are the symbols/markings on the dimmer switch terminals?