2 way dimmer switch

[drt1710]

Currently have a 2 gang 2 way light switch working fine. One switch is 1 way, 1 switch is 2 way. Swapped it for a 2 gang 2 way dimmer switch, very careful of getting com to com, l1 to l1 and l2 to l2. Brilliant, powered up, both dimmer switches turn on, turn off, and dim, brilliant I thought, then tried the light switch (non dimmer) at the other side of the room and this will not turn on or turn off the light.

After much umming and arrrring, I put the old switch back on to see if I'd made a mistake with the wiring. Old switch works fine both sides of the room. So I put the dimmer back on again, but the original problem still exists.

Any ideas please?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Are the lamps low energy?
Are they dimmerable?

 

[drt1710]

Standard light bulbs, not low energy, 2x 30w candle bulbs, with a 250w dimmer.

 

[flyingsparks]

Sounds like the 2 way switch module is faulty, try changing it to the other module on the dimmer.

 

[drt1710]

Ok, will give that a try next time I'm down there, will report back

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So you replaced the 2G2W switch (with one gang used as 1-way) with a 2G2W dimmer, but left the 1G2W switch alone?

And the dimmer does what it should, but the 1G2W switch does nothing now?

Does the dimmer work fine no matter which position the 1G2W switch is?

 

[drt1710]

That's correct on all counts

 

[knowall]

Are the lamps low energy?
Are they dimmerable?

Are you posative you mean dimmerable ?

NA

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That's correct on all counts

If the switch part of the dimmer turns the light on and off, then it is at least partially working - even if it's half-buggered, and not doing 2-way operation, it is doing 1-way, so in one of those positions, the other 2-way switch would do something.

But it isn't.

Therefore you must have wired it incorrectly.

How many conductors run between the two switch positions, and if the dimmer isn't marked C/L1/L2, what did you decide was the equivalents?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Are you posative you mean dimmerable ?

Absolutely. Dimmer-able. The ability for the light output to be altered by a dimmer.

A term used extensively in the industry. For example, one of the largest manufacturer of dimmerable products http://www.megaman.cc/technology/dimmerable

Happy?
Fine, now can you tell me what a

posative

is? The opposite of negartive, perhaps?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Duplicate

 

[knowall]

You have just ansewred your own question to Kimcarter? Now,from a dimmerable man, that's admiribal

Kind regards,

NA

 

[Taylortwocities]

I do not understand anything you type.
Show me where Kimcarter is referred to on this thread

 

[ericmark]

Nothing comes to mind why it would not work but here are some thoughts which may lead to an answer.

There are two ways to wire two way lights at school we were shown this

method which works but it needs a junction in the switch so is rarely used in real life.

In real life this

method is used and dimming switches would expect it to be wired that way.

Both should work as the dimming bit is across the com but maybe there is an other method which does not come to mind where the com is not always live when switched on?

Two way dimmers normally have a pull push switch and twist to dim although there are types now which use a master and remote so the dimming function works from either switch. These will be installed as a pair and if you have just one half this could be the problem.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I do not understand anything you type.
Show me where Kimcarter is referred to on this thread