Help...new dimmer switch!

[DuncH]

I've just installed a new dimmer switch to run our halogen lights, copied the previous wiring (ish) and have a snag.....the touch control dimmer switches the lights on, I can control brightness, but when I switch them off, they come back on again, but very dim!

I have 2 cables coming into the dimmer, which I guess is because it also controls the upstairs light (which isn't a halogen)

One cable has a black (red sleeve) and a plain red and earth, the other has blue (red sleeve), plain red and a yellow (red sleeve and earth

The dimmer has live, slave and switched load

How should this be connected?

Any help gratefully accepted-pulling my hair out!

 

[securespark]

copied the previous wiring (ish)

That is why it does not work...

How many switches were on the plate you removed?

Was the upstairs light linked to the ones you are now dimming BEFORE you changed the switch?

IF there was only one switch on the plate you replaced with the dimmer, then you need a dimmer capable of switching two way.

This must have three terminals.

Did you make a note of the old wiring arrangement?

 

[DuncH]

copied the previous wiring (ish)

That is why it does not work...

How many switches were on the plate you removed?

Was the upstairs light linked to the ones you are now dimming BEFORE you changed the switch?

IF there was only one switch on the plate you replaced with the dimmer, then you need a dimmer capable of switching two way.

This must have three terminals.


Cheers for the response-I have a correction to make!

OK -Originally there was a single switch, controlling the downstairs light, but this is linked to another switch double, which also controls the upstairs light! There thats what I meant earlier, got my knickers in a twist!

We changed out the original light fitting and fitted a 3 x 40w lamp light fitting, we decided to install a dimmer, this worked first time! Great!

Only recently my Mrs decides she wants a halogen light fitting, one of these multi lamp one's, when I wire it up and try to control it with the dimmer installed, yes works fine but the dimmer buzzes loudly when turned low.

We ask the suppliers of the light fitting why it won't work and they say we must have a halogen dimmer (£25 each ouch!!)

So, I replace the original dimmer with the halogen dimmer, yep it controls them but the lights come back on after turning dimmer off

I don't have the original wiring sketch, my beloved binned it after I had installed the dimmer! I have a feeling that the other switch is having an effect here, if I isolate that everything will be hunkey dorey methinks!

If you can fathom this, let me know

Cheers again for your help

Did you make a note of the old wiring arrangement?

 

[DuncH]

copied the previous wiring (ish)

That is why it does not work...

How many switches were on the plate you removed?

Was the upstairs light linked to the ones you are now dimming BEFORE you changed the switch?

IF there was only one switch on the plate you replaced with the dimmer, then you need a dimmer capable of switching two way.

This must have three terminals.


Sorry, wrong info earllier-

The original switch was a single, this is also linked to another double switch, which switches the light in question (downstairs) and the upstairs light

Unfortunately my other half has binned the wiring layout and my sketch!

So you think I need a dimmer which switches two way?

I suppose if I can determine which wires come from other switch, then try again, I might have some success?

Cheers

 

[DuncH]

copied the previous wiring (ish)

That is why it does not work...

How many switches were on the plate you removed?

Was the upstairs light linked to the ones you are now dimming BEFORE you changed the switch?

IF there was only one switch on the plate you replaced with the dimmer, then you need a dimmer capable of switching two way.

This must have three terminals.


Sorry, wrong info earllier-

The original switch was a single, this is also linked to another double switch, which switches the light in question (downstairs) and the upstairs light

Unfortunately my other half has binned the wiring layout and my sketch!

So you think I need a dimmer which switches two way?

I suppose if I can determine which wires come from other switch, then try again, I might have some success?

Cheers

I have now isolated the problem and I have the dimmer working correctly, had to isolate the connection from the other switch, worked 1st time, undecided now as to whether I should attempt to connect the others cable into the dimmer .....or just cut and run whilst its all working


Apologies for the duplication Mods.....just needed a bit more input, thought the 2nd post gave a clearer indication of the problem

Cheers

 

[securespark]

IF there was one switch at that location before you changed it for the dimmer, then you have one end of a two-way switching arrangement present there.

Your dimmer is not suitable for two-way.

If you swap it for a two-way dimmer, you'll ned to open up the second switch (ie the other end of that three core & E cable) to see which core has been used for the common.

Then, you wire one of the cores of the twin & earth to L1, along with one core of the three-core & E that is not the common.

In L2 you put the other core of the twin & earth along with the other core of the three-core & E that is not the common.

Then the common of the three-core & E cable goes to the common terminal.

If you're using master & slave dimmers, these are wired differently. Please refer to manufacturers instructions, or you may find a copy of these in the wiki/sticky.

 

[DaSpozz]

Lol. I blew up about 3 of these touch control dimmers from Screwfix (Im not a sparky lol) - lucklily they are dimwits in there so exchanged them after i said they didnt work.....

"Must have been a bad batch" the blonde behind the counter said...