The dimmer switch doesnt work, but the lights still come on, i had 3 wires coming from the old light, 3 blue , 3 brown, 3 earths, The dimmer its self doesnt switch it off or on, 250W dimmer switch, and a 20W x4 spotlights, ive done some trial and error and figured some of the wires control the other few 1st floor lights, any help at all is appreciated.
Dimmer switch not working.
- Thread starter Joethedimmer
- Start date
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Is this a new dimmer to replace an old switch?
Has the light fitting been changed as well?
What wires do you have at the switch?
Has the light fitting been changed as well?
What wires do you have at the switch?
Yes it was to replace a simple on/off switch, the light fitting was changed from a plastic to metal, to suit the 4 bar spot lights, and i have only 1 of each from the wall as you would usualy have, Earth, live, Neutral.
The correct wiring for the light fitting is here:
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:problems:blueswlive
If the lights stay on permanently, the dimmer has probably been destroyed.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:problems:blueswlive
If the lights stay on permanently, the dimmer has probably been destroyed.
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The dimmer switch still makes a buzzing noise, but doesnt turn on/off, the old previous switch worked before but, after we changed it around it started to blow the fuse everytime it was switched on/off?
After finding the information regarding the dimmer switch, this does not include a fuse, after hearing *something* blow, it sounded like the lights, but the light still work. With the information i have given, do you think it's just a basic wiring problem, or something could be preventing the lights from working and blowing the safety fuse, which automaticly turns off all power to the upper floor.
The 4 way spotlight fitting i have aswell adds up to 80 watts with the halogen bulbs i have fitted. And the dimmer lights have a 40-250 watt min/maximum capacity, i am no electrician, but are these wo differences able to function properly together?
any extra help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.
The 4 way spotlight fitting i have aswell adds up to 80 watts with the halogen bulbs i have fitted. And the dimmer lights have a 40-250 watt min/maximum capacity, i am no electrician, but are these wo differences able to function properly together?
any extra help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.
pictures please.
You changed the light as well, though.
When you did that did you assume that all the blacks/blues were neutrals, and connect them all together?
No - you wouldn't usually have earth, live & neutral. What do you think a switch does? What would it do if live & neutral were connected to it?
i argued this point with my inspector a while back, i suggested that sleeving switchwires on single phase domestic installations wasnt neccisary as that if you dont understand that there isnt a live and a neutral at switch or infact what a switch does, then you shouldn't be altering your wiring, he however just laughed at me and commented on my neat sleeving 
^^^^ Take heed.
If you disconnected the old light, connected 3 browns to live, 3 blues to neutral and 3 earths to earth, you are operating the dimmer onto a DEAD SHORT. The old light wasnt wired like this, was it? Or did you not note which wires went where?
You have probably burnt out the dimmer's internal fuse or the triac, most are not replaceable. This, by the way, is also why the previous switch was blowing the fuse. Each time you turned it ON, you were connecting live to neutral. Now you have two wrecked switches.
See flameport's link for the correct method.
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