Help with wiring a double dimmer switch

[graham2899]

I am trying to replace a double dimmer switch which operates four wall lights. The switch I am replacing is metal and is earthed and I am replacing it with a plastic switch. The current switch has two wires coming from the wall each of which have a black and red wire and an earth wire. The red wires go into position 1 on the connections and black into position 2, the earth wires are connected into a third connector.

My new switch has two boxes with positions 1,2 and C with a wavy line. Can anybody advise on whether I need the earth cable and if I only have neutral and live wires coming from the wall how are they wired to 1,2 and C??.

 

[ricicle]

The blacks are not Neutrals they are switched Lines. Reds into each of the terminals marked C. Blacks into the respective 1 or 2 (shouldn't matter on a 2 way dimmer)
Earths together in the terminal in the back of the (metal) box. If the box is not metal then together in a connector.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[graham2899]

The blacks are not Neutrals they are switched Lines. Reds into each of the terminals marked C. Blacks into the respective 1 or 2 (shouldn't matter on a 2 way dimmer)
Earths together in the terminal in the back of the (metal) box. If the box is not metal then together in a connector.

Thanks, however once the earth wires are disconnected from the existing switch they have nothing to connect to. The back box is metal but the new switch is plastic, do they need connecting to something?

 

[TicklyT]

There is usually an earth terminal in one of the corners of the metal backbox. Sometimes they are hard to spot, buried in the deepest recesses under bits of loose plaster and dust.

Connecting the earth wires together with a piece of choc bloc terminal strip is not ideal if it leaves a metal switch back box unearthed.

 

[ricicle]

Why did I not get a thanks ????

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ricicle]

Bakewell....oops sorry - wrong section

 

[ban-all-sheds]

if I only have neutral and live wires coming from the wall how are they wired to 1,2 and C??.

What does a switch do (not a dimmer switch, just a regular, simple on/off one)?

What do you think it would do if you connected L & N to it?