Dimmer Switch Tomfoolery

JohnD said:
Have you got a multimeter? If not, pop up to the high street in the morning and invest in one, s/be about £8 for a simple one which is all you'll need.

Looking at the cables coming out of the wall, I'd expect the red to be permanent live and the blacks to be switched live returning to the light fitting. As my guess didn't work, test the wires in the mlorning to see what they do.

Can you refit the old switch, and do the lights then work? they shouldn't need the red link (usually)

Maplin are doing a multimeter for £2.99, but dose'nt include continuity tester
 
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Using your old switch, does it work if you have red in COM, red in COM, link from COM to COM; and a black in each L!?

I really want you to get a meter. It should then be easy ;)
 
With the switches in the OFF position try putting one red and any other conductor into the same terminal - keeping all other wires well away. If the light comes on when you put the leccy back on you know that one of those wires is a permanent live and another is a switched live. If the light doesn't come on use the same red and try another conductor... when you find one that causes a light to come on put the red in the common (linked to the other) and the other wire in an L1. This should get one light and the corresponding switch working.

Then put another of the loose wires in the other L1 terminal. If both lights work your sorted. If it doesn't try the other loose wire in the L1 terminal. If this doesn't work I'll type the rest...

Remember to turn off the electric before making any of the changes and be careful to keep the other wires away from the terminals so they don't touch the live and confuse us any more.
 
libby lou lou said:
Maplin are doing a multimeter for £2.99, but dose'nt include continuity tester

well thats a brilliant multimeter!
 
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Thank you for all your comments so far but im going to have to call a halt to the proceedings as an attempt to pull more wire out of the cavity has resulted in the wire snapping right up inside the wall. I think im just going to cut my loses and call an electrician.

oh well you win some you lose some.

Thanks!
 

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