Changing twin dimmer to normal light switch - neutral query

[Jon Connon]

I am looking at changing an existing twin dimmer switch to a standard 2 gang 2 way switch in a living room.

When i removed to have a look at the wires i noticed that the black neutral wires from each cable had been joined together in a terminal strip and just the red live wires are connected to the L1 and L2 terminals for each block.

I am assuming that some dimmers do not need a Neutral connected and that i just need to remove the terminal strip and pair up the wires from each cable and then wire to the com (black neutral) / L1 / L2 (red) as normal for each block.

 

[EFLImpudence]

No, you need to leave the Neutrals as they are.
They actually are Neutrals; not just black wires.
The lights work like that so why would it need altering?

Connect the red wires to the new switch.

Post a clear picture of the switch terminals if you don't know which wire goes where.

 

[flameport]

Dimmers do not have neutral connections.
Normal switches don't have neutral connections either.

The new switch is wired in exactly the same way as the dimmer is now.

 

[Jon Connon]

Thank you very much both for the quick response. So it is just the case of replicating the red live wires from the current dimmer to the L1/L2 terminals on the new switch and ignore the common single terminal on each block ?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Your picture in the first post it too blurred and cannot see what wires are in which terminals.

Please post a useable picture, or detail what fires are in which terminals.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Mark the wires first so they don't get mixed up.


For each switch -

put the two wires that are together in COMMON and the other wire in L1.

 

[333rocky333]

So it is just the case of replicating the red live wires from the current dimmer to the L1/L2 terminals on the new switch ?

That seems unlikely to work

 

[Jon Connon]

Hopefully a little clearer.
Thanks for the advice

Dimmer

Cable 1 Cable 2
red red red red
| | | |
O O O O
|____|

So 2 wires from each cable going to a terminal on each block.
Also a red wire from one block to the other block

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ok. Still not too clear as can’t see the terminal names on the old switch. But, from your last pic, it looks like:

the red nearest in the pic goes to L1 on one of the switches.

then you have a red wire that is linked to another terminal (?).
That red goes to a Com terminal and the link wire goes to the other com terminal. If the link wire has another red at the other end, that also goes to the com terminal.

that leaves you with one red wire, anc that goes to the other L1 terminal.

 

[Jon Connon]

Dimmer

Cable 1 Cable 2
block 1 block 2
red red red red
| | | |
O O O O
|____|

So 2 wires from each cable going to a terminal on each block.
Also a red wire from one block to the other block

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...ht-switch-neutral-query.572092/#ixzz6wMnWnIgi

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, if you use the correct terminals.

Mark the wires first so they don't get mixed up.
For each switch -
put the two wires that are together in COMMON and the other wire in L1.

 

[EFLImpudence]

So 2 wires from each cable going to a terminal on each block.

You should only have ONE wire from each cable; i.e four - plus the link.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Dimmer

Cable 1 Cable 2
block 1 block 2
red red red red
| | | |
O O O O
|____|

So 2 wires from each cable going to a terminal on each block.
Also a red wire from one block to the other block

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...ht-switch-neutral-query.572092/#ixzz6wMnWnIgi

Yes. Follow what I said in my post #9.