Is there anything unusual about replacing standard light switches with dimmer switches. My son has tried to fit these in his lounge today unsuccesfully. The lounge lights are operated by two switches in the at different points of the room and the two dimmer swithes that he replaced them with are fitted with 2way interiors but on first fitting them they blew the lighting mcb and the once he reset one of the dimmer switches was buzzing loudly. Anyone advise?
fitting dimmer switches
- Thread starter tockworth
- Start date
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B
breezer
sounds like he fitted it wrong / wrong lights / under rated dimmer and has now "blown up" the dimmer
what type of lights has he/ also what watt? as not all dimmers can dim all lights and not all light can be dimmed, also did he note what went where (as in my signature?)
what type of lights has he/ also what watt? as not all dimmers can dim all lights and not all light can be dimmed, also did he note what went where (as in my signature?)
Also, please note...
They are made in 2-way form so that you can pair a 2-way dimmer and a 2-way switch. If you want dimming from two locations, you can get master/slave dimmers, but a regular dimmer at each end is a no-no....
You cannot have two 2-way dimmers on the same switching circuit.tockworth said:
They are made in 2-way form so that you can pair a 2-way dimmer and a 2-way switch. If you want dimming from two locations, you can get master/slave dimmers, but a regular dimmer at each end is a no-no....
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Yeh I'll check that out I am going over in the next couple of days. I would have assumed all househould lighting dimmer switches should be rated at quite a high max current rating but we'll see
B
breezer
never assume anything.tockworth said:
also as i said take note of lamp type, wattage, also if 12v lamps check transformer is dimaablle as not all are (it will say on transformer)
what made you think that? Did the "maximum current" bit marked on the switch itself, mean nothing to you? And in fact, its quite a low figure usually, unless you go into stupid money for 1000w dimmers etc. Normal is 300-400w (budget dimmers)tockworth said:
also, it may not have been a high wattage that killed them, but the fact they were wired together on the 2 legs of a 2-way switch circuit. Crazy things can happen - 2 phase cutting devices in series - one thing i can tell you here is that this is not good.
yes guys thanks for your help got it sussed now its actually my son thats fitted these things but left it to dad to sort out. I can see of course now this configuration he has fitted can never work being effectivley a variable potentiometer rather than a two state switch. I have seen the light so to speak.
B
breezer
you did actualy say it was your sons light not yours, but as for variable pot, fraid not, if it was just a variable pot, two in series would work. they are a lot more sophisicted now.
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