just bought one of those touch/remote dimmer switches.I have gone to fit it but in my existing switch i have 2 live wires connected in a L1 and L2 form. The neitral wires from main and ceiling light are connected in a plastic block and 2 earths are connected to the metal box in the wall. How do i connect the dimmer? wire up as conventinal live and neutral perhaps???
easy dimmer switch question
- Thread starter ian413
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B
breezer
since you have it and i dont what do the instructions say
Instructions say I should connect the lve and neutral wires to the new switch. Although i am confused cos the old switch has the 2 live wires connected to L1 and L2. The neutrals are connected together and earths are connected to box in the wall.
Is it a case of rewiring the dimmer as the instructions, considering that is a lot different to how it is now?
Is it a case of rewiring the dimmer as the instructions, considering that is a lot different to how it is now?
B
breezer
do the instrutions really say connect the live and neutral to the switch?
because as you have questioned if you were to do that the switch would go bang.
no connect it as it is and leave the neutrals in their choc block.
because as you have questioned if you were to do that the switch would go bang.
no connect it as it is and leave the neutrals in their choc block.
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breezer
thepic you mention is showing how it is normaly done. (i shall explain)
normally you only have 1 cable, 3 wires brown, blue and bare copper
(or red black and bare copper)
in this case brown is live and blue is switched live (i.e it goes live when the switch is operated) it should be marked with brown tape or sleeving.
but in your particular situation, you have 2 cables
one cable is the supply from the mains
the other is the feed to the light
since you only switch the live, the blacks have been joined in a choc bloc which is correct.
so you should connect the live and switched live to the switch and leave the neutrals where they are
look at it this way.
you have 2 blacks connected together (fine and perfectly o.k.) thisleaves you 2 reds o connect to the switch.
as i said most people will only have 1 red and 1 black (old colours)
so in their case they appear to have live and neutral, but in fact they have live and switched live.
if you want to have a look in another switch.
normally you only have 1 cable, 3 wires brown, blue and bare copper
(or red black and bare copper)
in this case brown is live and blue is switched live (i.e it goes live when the switch is operated) it should be marked with brown tape or sleeving.
but in your particular situation, you have 2 cables
one cable is the supply from the mains
the other is the feed to the light
since you only switch the live, the blacks have been joined in a choc bloc which is correct.
so you should connect the live and switched live to the switch and leave the neutrals where they are
look at it this way.
you have 2 blacks connected together (fine and perfectly o.k.) thisleaves you 2 reds o connect to the switch.
as i said most people will only have 1 red and 1 black (old colours)
so in their case they appear to have live and neutral, but in fact they have live and switched live.
if you want to have a look in another switch.
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