Dimmer Switch Question

[RstJAB]

Hi all,
I'm a newbie here and have a question that has probably been answered many times but you know how it is with electrics, so I just want to be sure.

I replaced a dimmer switch in my kitchen last night as the plate around it was getting very hot. I have bought a dimmer switch with a push on/off function. I have connected the earth from the mains wire to the switch's earth terminal and then from there to the back box. I have then connected the Red (L) wire to the L1 terminal and the Black (N) wire to the (~) terminal.

Please can someone confirm that this is the correct method, the new switch seems to be working but it does buzz just a little .

Thanks in advance

Richard

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's more common to put red to ~ and black to L1, but electrically it makes no difference whatsoever, and is not the cause of the buzzing.

What sort of light(s) are you dimming, and what is the load? What is the rating of the dimmer?

What is the make of the dimmer?

 

[RstJAB]

Thanks,
I am dimming a strip of 6 spot lights, the switch is a 1 gang 2 way 60 -400W dimmer. I bough it from Homebase, I think it is their own label brand.
Load?

 

[Diyisfun]

Cheap dimmers are prone to noise

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Load?

Yes, load - what is the total wattage of the 6 spotlights?

What type of lamps are they? Mains or ELV? If mains, are they halogen? If so, by how much does the dimmer need to be derated for such a load - is 400W enough?

If they are ELV, is the transformer a dimmable one, is the dimmer OK for ELV transformers, and even if both answers are "yes" does the type of dimming (leading or trailing edge) match what the transformer needs?

Getting any of the above wrong could be the cause of the buzzing, and could also lead to premature failure of the dimmer or the lights.

Or it could just be a cheap'n'nasty dimmer....

 

[RstJAB]

right, will have to find that lot out this evening and get back to you. Is £15.99 cheap for a dimmer switch?

Thanks very much for the feedback

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sounds a bit on the cheap side.

But if it turns out to be nasty, it won't have been cheap.

If you spend £16 when you should have spent £25, you've wasted £16. If you spend £25 when you could have spent £16, you've only wasted £9.

 

[RstJAB]

Thanks for the advice, I got a qualified Spark in last night to look at everything, he is going to replace the fuse box and check everything next week, some of the wiring is lead!!!!
How does £375 + VAT sound for a new fuse box fitting and full test?

Thanks again

 

[Diyisfun]

To me it sounds like an expensive dimmer..I know should be flippant. But it did start as a dimmer

 

[RstJAB]

good point, but we have only just moved in and I just want the place to be safe and surely lead can't be good!? The fuse box looks stone age to be honest so I thought it best to spend a bit now and get it all looked at - just for a bit of piece of mind...

 

[Qedelec]

Sounds a fair price.

You might like to make sure there is room for expansion in the new CCU.

 

[pdcelec]

Thanks for the advice, I got a qualified Spark in last night to look at everything, he is going to replace the fuse box and check everything next week, some of the wiring is lead!!!!
How does £375 + VAT sound for a new fuse box fitting and full test?

Thanks again

That sound a good price for the fuse box. If the cables are lead though, I can sense a rewire coming on.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Nothing alarming about that price, but as with anything you should get a couple more quotes, and if you can get personal recommendations from friends/neighbours/family that counts for a lot.

Read what I wrote here: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=201144#201144 - it all applies to you.

If some of the wiring in use (as opposed to just old cables disconnected but not removed) is lead insulated then that will need replacing, and if there is stuff that old in there then there might be rubber insulated wiring that also needs replacing.

So you should also get quotes from everybody for a worst-case complete rewire - not so much because this is what you will end up with, but what you don't want is for the guy to get part way through replacing the CU and have him say "the wiring is a mess I'll have to replace it all and it's going to cost you ten grand" (OK I exaggerate, but hopefully you'll see what I mean).

If when choosing an electrician you find one you are comfortable with, you might like to consider having him do a PIR as an initial, separately costed job, so that you then have a report detailing what needs to be done rather than entering into some open-ended agreement to start on the CU and fix other things as they are discovered.

 

[RstJAB]

Thanks Ban, that is all really useful information and very much appreciated. I will get a few quotes sorted this week and see where I end up.
The lead wires were rubber coated so I think I am about to be introduced to the rest of the iceberg that I have yet to see!!!

Thanks again

R