Guidance on a dimmer connection needed please!

[gmb27]

Hi all,

My first post here so be gentle! I've fitted dimmers before no problem but ive just moved into a new build and bought a dimmer from B and Q. When i took a look, the connections have confused me. There appears to be too many wires in the box?

The dimmer is for a room which has 2 light fittings which both work together off one switch. You can't turn one on without the other. The dimmer I bought has a standard L1, L2, and earth and a squiggly line with an arrow through it connection.

I've attached photo's to show what I mean. Can anybody offer any clarification here?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Aragorn84]

It looks like your existing switch uses L1 and L2, with L3 left free.

On the dimmer, you want to use L1 and ~ instead, leaving L2 free.

You must also connect the earth to the switch as its metal.

 

[Aragorn84]

duplicate fail

 

[gmb27]

It looks like your existing switch uses L1 and L2, with L3 left free.

On the dimmer, you want to use L1 and ~ instead, leaving L2 free.

You must also connect the earth to the switch as its metal.

Thanks for the reply, so I need to:

1) connect the existing L1 wire to the new L1
2) connect the two brown wires currently in L2 both into the new ~(with an arrow through it)
3) Remove the earth (yellow/green) from the block and connect to the earth on the dimmer
4) Leave the neutral where it is in the block

Does that sound correct? Thanks a lot

 

[333rocky333]

The squiggle with an arrow through it, is the symbol for variable OUTPUT.
Where possible it should be used for the output to the lamp/load.
For your basic dimmer
L1 = live in
≠ = load out

Although it may not be important in this case, the makers gone to the trouble to label the terminal as such and in the future you may come across the symbol where it is important .

There is people on this forum that disagree and use it for the supply in, which is ok in a majority of cases like yours, but in there next post will quote to follow manufacturers instructions

 

[ban-all-sheds]

L1 = live in
≠ = load out

OK - so what's connected to L2 when L1 is not connected to ≠ ?

 

[333rocky333]

L1 = live in
≠ = load out

OK - so what's connected to L2 when L1 is not connected to ≠ ?

Ok
L1 OR L2 = live in
≠ = load out

L1 or L2 can be used as Live in, as it toggles between the two,as we all know, but the enclosed manufacturers one way drawing wont show that, they will show either L1 OR L2 to use as the supply, i dont know.
and maybe tagged that "The dimmer can be connected either way round"

The other L? would only be relevant in the manufacturers Two way drawing

However for one way the manufacturers drawing nearly always shows C or ≠ as the output, unless you or prentice boy know different, or can tell me what the squiggle symbol means
http://www.mkelectric.com/Documents...Devices/Grid Plus/Grid dimmer instruction.pdf