Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me with this. I recently bought 3 varilight eclique dimmers to replace the normal 3 switches around my hallway after putting in led spotlights. the old lighting consisted of a double switch at the front door - 1 for porch light the other was the first light of the 3 way, down the hallway was an intermediate switch and at the end was the last switch. these where normal type (common, L1, L2 and the intermediate was a double L1, double L2). however the varilight are load, s-link and live. I have tried endless combinations with them and have had no joy! does anyone know how to wire them correctly?
3 way light switchs to LED dimmer
- Thread starter semore
- Start date
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Did you get one master and two slave switches? That's what you need.
On a positive note, you're still alive!! And your house hasn't burnt down!!
Did you try reading the instructions that came with them?
hi have got the same diagram as that! however the old wiring is not really straightforward- in the double switch were 2 cables, 1 fed both commons (red) and the black fed 1way (the porch I presume). the other cable had black in 1way and red in 2 way. the intermediate switch had 2 cables in it, 1 cable fed L1(red and black) the other fed L2(red and black). the last switch has 2 cables in it, 1 fed L2(red) and L1(black)the other is a single red cable feeding the common! I just am not sure which cables go where! ( and I am glad I didn't burn down my house!)
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The most important question first of all, is do you have two slave units and one master dimmer?
Because if the answer is no, it's not gonna work no matter how you connect it up
Because if the answer is no, it's not gonna work no matter how you connect it up
Just had a proper read through of your description and the diagram (I've never used these in a three-way setup)
But, from your description, it sounds like you have the live feed into the switches at the double, and the switch wire out to the lights at the last switch. As per this diagram (Switch on the left is your double, then the intermediate, then the last switch).
But the varilight instructions require a 3-core strapper if the live and switch live are at different switches, you only have two.
Maybe someone will correct me.
But, from your description, it sounds like you have the live feed into the switches at the double, and the switch wire out to the lights at the last switch. As per this diagram (Switch on the left is your double, then the intermediate, then the last switch).
But the varilight instructions require a 3-core strapper if the live and switch live are at different switches, you only have two.
Maybe someone will correct me.
It's not obvious to me if the two figures you've quoted are the only two ways of wiring them, or if they are just two examples. Why would it not work if connected like figure 2 but with the load connected at the other end of the chain?
Good question.
Presumably the master dimmer is the one with all the complicated 'lectronics in it, so the load must be connected to that.
Then your (for examples sake, we'll use R&B) black, takes your load from switch one to switch 3.
Your red then has to take your live from switch one to switch 3.
Then there is nothing to connect to your signal link between the switches.
Like I say, I'm not 100% but there must a be a reason they put both diagrams in
It does not, anywhere along the conductor will do.
thankyou for trying to help me with this! do you think I need another wire to connect the S-links together then? after first seeing the diagrams I thought that, but was not sure what to do with all the other red,black wires or whether they were live or neutral!
All the conductors connected to the switches are Line(live).
We are unsure about whether an extra wire is needed.
However, if it works like this - as the instructions state:
then I can see no reason why it wouldn't work like this:
You can try it before causing damage to put in another cable.
Let us know how you get on.
We are unsure about whether an extra wire is needed.
However, if it works like this - as the instructions state:
then I can see no reason why it wouldn't work like this:
You can try it before causing damage to put in another cable.
Let us know how you get on.
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