Problem with wiring new Double switch & Double Dimmer (side by side)

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Hey guys my first post here and I am hoping for some help. I want to replace a double switch & a double dimmer (both side by side)

I've replaced single switches all over the house and wallsockets without issues. With this I am stumped. Below are the original wiring with original switches. It's old coloured wiring so wanting to know what goes where to get this up and running.

Red, Black (wrapped in red tape) & Green wires coming from one cable and 3 single grey cables going to different areas on the switches. I followed the exact same wiring adding new switch and dimmer but only the switch worked and simmer did not. I hope I haven't blown anything.

I plan on retracing my steps tomorrow and starting afresh with adding the original switch and dimmer back from the photos but as far as I know it's possible I could have made a mistake, I never wired the green wire to the back of any of the new switches as there is only one.

Would greatly appreciate some help here as it's driving me crazy.

Appreciate any replies

Thanks
 

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Whoever wired up the dimmers did a shortcut. As the switch works but the dimmer doesn’t do it like this:
The red wire that comes from the switch side goes to one Com on your dimmer. Then put a link wire from that com to the other. That’s the live in.

Then you have the black wrapped in tape and the red in a grey sleeve. They go on the L1s of the two dimmers. That’s it.

PS. I note that the old metal switch plates are not earthed. If your new ones are metal then they must be earthed.
 
Thank you Taylortwocities, really do appreciate your reply. So if I've read you correctly I should make another little jumper cable going from one com to the other in the new dimmer switch? Add both the black wire wrapped in red and the red covered in grey sleeve into both L1s on the new dimmer? (Does it matter which one they go to?)

There is only one earthed wire within the whole lot of wires in the wall, it's earthed to the back side of the double light switch. Should I earth that to the front of the new light switch or to the new dimmer if it reaches that far?

Thanks for the reply. Would love to have this sorted today.

P.s, not sure we're to get an extra bit of cable if I do need to add another wire from com to com. Can I use a blue wire that was part of an old extension cable or is that very wrong to do so.. and as for the earth would I need to extend it to both new faceplates? Adding in a little connector from original wire to 2 new wires going to either one? Thanks
 
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Yes. New bit of wire from com to com. Needs to be brown or red to show it’s a LIVE!!

The two wires that go to the two L1s (one in each). They can be either way round, but you probably want them as they are so the left hand one still switches on the same light as before!

Earth. It goes to the back box. Suggest you run two separate bits of wire (green&yellow to show it’s EARTH). To the two front plates.

PS. All of the cables should have an earth conductor that is connected to earth.
 
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Gent mate. I will get on it here. Red wire from com to com, both wires going to same places on L1s and two new earth wires going from original area (back box) to both switches into earth markings.

Thanks alot mate. I hope I haven't blown anything and everything still works. If I had anymore issues I hope you don't mind if I come back with a comment. Cheers.
 
Yes. New bit of wire from com to com. Needs to be brown or red to show it’s a LIVE!!

Can I use this wire here? It's from an old kettle I believe, could use the brown for live and green/yellow for earth. Pic below

16056949589645610657727830444473.jpg


Thanks
 
Whoa there. I see all the links needed in the 2 photos, Are these before or after photos?
Whoever wired up the dimmers did a shortcut. As the switch works but the dimmer doesn’t do it like this:
The red wire that comes from the switch side goes to one Com on your dimmer. Then put a link wire from that com to the other. That’s the live in.

Then you have the black wrapped in tape and the red in a grey sleeve. They go on the L1s of the two dimmers. That’s it.

PS. I note that the old metal switch plates are not earthed. If your new ones are metal then they must be earthed.

As long as the incoming live is the red of the T&E, live is already getting to all four switches and dimmers in those photos.


However my suspicion is the original wiring was all singles and the T&E is a later addition.


I'm off to hospital for several hours but hopefully someone will come along to help with testing
 
Whoa there. I see all the links needed in the 2 photos, Are these before or after photos?


As long as the incoming live is the red of the T&E, live is already getting to all four switches and dimmers in those photos.


However my suspicion is the original wiring was all singles and the T&E is a later addition.


I'm off to hospital for several hours but hopefully someone will come along to help with testing
Thanks for reply mate. This is original dimmer (old) and switch. I replaced with the same wiring but the dimmer didn't work. I believe Taylortwocities has explained it to me how to fix it. The new dimmer switch needs another wire going from com to com, both wires that were in the original go into L1s as they were, then I need two new earth's running of the original earth screwed at the back of the box to both new switches.

The wiring is pre 2004. So red and black! Instead of Brown and blue.

If you've seen my post before yours can I use that wire and is it safe to use? An old kettle cable I believe. Thanks!
 
Went a head and wired everything up. All working great! Thanks alot for your help Taylortwocities! & Sunray for your final post. I would still like to know if the wires I used are fully safe to keep before closing up the switches up? Thanks alot guys. Appreciate the help once again
16056983335595769814957358195025.jpg


Spoke to a mate who's a spark he said the wire is fine if it's 1mm (which it is) time to close it up.
 
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Looks ok to me.
except that earth wire on the left needs to go behind the centre bar.

Yes mate it will, I havent finished up yet as I need to paint and clean up were the old switches were. Appreciate your help with this today. Happy house now. Cheers
 

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