Double dimmer switch wiring nightmare!!

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Looking for a bit of assistance...

fitting 2 pendants in my lounge, attached to a double dimmer.

I have 4 sets of cables

1) second pendant
2) Mains
3) another set of cables that, if disconnected, disconnects all other lights in the house
4) Switch cable

the issue is that the switch cable has the following wires:
earth, live, grey wire with brown tape, black wire with brown tape

yes, thats 2 switch wires?!

Currently, I've wired it up so all live wires are in the loop terminal, all neutral wires in the neutral terminals, earths connected but I'm at a loss as to which of the switch cables is the correct one and where the straggler will be connected.

At the moment, the other pendant is permanently on even if both dimmers are in the off position.

HELP!!!! This is driving me bonkers!
 
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If you have a double dimmer then you will have two switch lives. The live cable will no doubt be linked from one switch to the other and the switch lives will go back up to the two pendants.
 
There are 2 switch wires because there are 2 pendants - one switched live for each.

At the ceiling rose, connect all of the earths together and all of the neutrals together.
Live from the 'mains', 'other lights' and the brown from the switch cable connect together.
Then the other switch cables are:
Grey with brown to the 1st pendant live
Black with brown to the 2nd pendant live
 
Take a deep breath, It's only a load of wires :LOL:

Do you have access to a digital camera or a phone which you can use to upload photos of the wiring at the switches and pendants?

Looking for a bit of assistance...
the issue is that the switch cable has the following wires:
earth, live, grey wire with brown tape, black wire with brown tape

yes, thats 2 switch wires?!

Are you sure this cable goes to the switch? If so what happens at the switch? As above photos are helpful.
 
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Phil: It seems that you've connected the second pendant across L & N , when it should've been connected to one of those marked switchwires (black or grey) at the first pendant.

The 2-gang switch should have the common terminals connected to the brown live (and linked together). Then you'll have the remaining two switched lives (black/grey) one for each light, but terminating at the first pendant. The first fitting will have one of the switched lives and the second fitting will have the other - via a connector block housed in the first fitting and then running along to the second fitting ( along with the neutral and earth).


Lucia.
 
There are 2 switch wires because there are 2 pendants - one switched live for each.

At the ceiling rose, connect all of the earths together and all of the neutrals together.
Live from the 'mains', 'other lights' and the brown from the switch cable connect together.
Then the other switch cables are:
Grey with brown to the 1st pendant live
Black with brown to the 2nd pendant live

Attached is how I have it wired at the moment. Nothing is working... I'm still as confused as before :(


HELP!!!
 
now tell us how the switch is wired..

the brown may not be the perm live to the switch..
 
Phil, both your diagarams are correct for the ceiling rose and the 2-gang switch - they're exactly as I said they might be in my previous reply.

That's not to say that you've actually identified those cables in the flesh and connected them accordingly.

You started off by saying that pendant 2 was 'on' permanently, which suggested that you had wired it across the feed at pendant 1. Now you say that nothing is working?

Have you tried replacing the lamps?

Perhaps you're just having a laugh - it's beginning to seem so.


Lucia.
 
You started off by saying that pendant 2 was 'on' permanently, which suggested that you had wired it across the feed at pendant 1. Now you say that nothing is working?

it's changed because he's changed the wiring to suit flameports instructions. .

that picture shows the "live" in the dimmed output of the dimmers..
do the dimmers have a 3rd terminal ? what is it's marking..
are the dimmers new?

did they used to work?
what are the new pendants? regular or energy saving? or even 12V things with a transformer?
 
Yes Jack, I can see it's changed 'on paper', but having connected the actual cables wrongly in the first place, there's still the chance that a second mistake has been made - even though the theoretical diagrams are correct.

Perhaps the dimmer should be removed and a temporary connector used to join all three wires together, just to rule out the possibility of a faulty switch........


Lucia.
 
Thanks for all your inputs but I'm going to have to admit defeat and call someone in. It is evident I still haven't a clue what's going on or what I'm doing... :oops:
 

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