landing/hall dimmer?

[johnw69]

Hi,

I've nearly finished refurbing the hall/ landing- replaster etc etc and want to replace the light switches. Downstairs has double for hall/ landing and upstairs for landing.

The landing light is wired to be switchable from upstairs/downsatirs as you would expect.

If i want to fit dimmer/s what can be done? Can you have dimmers both ends so that you can turn on/off and alter brightness of landing light from both upstairs and downstairs? If not which end would the dimmer normally be fitted.

Any advice very welcome- thanks in advance

John

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Yes you can.
Make sure the dimmer switches are rated high enough for the watts of the lamps in the light fittings.

 

[johnnykc]

Hi ...you can purchase an IR/touch master dimmer and the corresponding slave and you will be able to dim from both sides of the circuit.

Varilight produce them and most decent wholesalers sell them.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Let's hope that there's a 3C+E strapper between the two switches, and not twin & earth as is often found with hall/landing 2-ways, or the plastering will have been a bit premature.....

 

[johnnykc]

BAN... I was being an optimist..

 

[Steve]

You'll need the following:

1x
double master dimmer for downstairs

1x
single slave switch for upstairs

However, these switches require that there are 3 cores between the switches.

Click the pictures for links, also available in chrome and other brash colours.

 

[bernardgreen]

It is not a good idea to have a dimmer on the lighting for stairs as dim lights can create a hazard of falling down the stairs.

Also dimmers are far more likely to fail than a normal switch.

Stairs are often form the only fire escape route for the upstairs room and reliable lighting should be ensured.

 

[johnnykc]

Oh come on Bernard...its Friday afternoon...if the OP wants a dimmer let him have one...

 

[johnw69]

Hi,

Thanks for all the advice.

The wiring is i'm guessing 3core and earth.

Bottom switch is 2 way with red, blue, yellow and earth to box.

Top switch uses two 1mm cable sheaths giving blue, redx2, black, yellow and earthx2 to box. I assume the red and black is the 'switch' wire going to the ceiling rose.

Anyway will standard 2 way dimmer switches at either end not work? I'm guessing not, else steve wouldn't have bothered to link to master and slave units??

Sorry , whilst not a complete numpty cars are more my thing (although can struggle with auto electrics! )

Cheers,

John

 

[Taylortwocities]

You cannot use two standard-type dimmers.
They have to be special master/slave ones, like the Varilight.

 

[Johnmelad502]

Hi,


Anyway will standard 2 way dimmer switches at either end not work?
John

No one must be a slave.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The wiring is i'm guessing 3core and earth.

Bottom switch is 2 way with red, blue, yellow and earth to box.

Top switch uses two 1mm cable sheaths giving blue, redx2, black, yellow and earthx2 to box. I assume the red and black is the 'switch' wire going to the ceiling rose.

You should do a lot less guessing and assuming...

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting

Anyway will standard 2 way dimmer switches at either end not work? I'm guessing not, else steve wouldn't have bothered to link to master and slave units??

Can't be standard dimmers - if you look at the bottom left part of the first drawing here: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:two-way-lighting you'll see that the current path always goes through both switches, so if both are dimmers you end up with the current going through 2 dimmers in series, and basically they don't work.

You can have one 2-way dimmer and one 2-way switch, but then you are stuck with whatever dimming level the dimmer is set to until you go to it and twiddle the knob, which generally is not what people want...

Sorry , whilst not a complete numpty cars are more my thing (although can struggle with auto electrics! )

Should I convert my 1966 MG Midget from +ve earth to -ve?

 

[ajrobb]

Should I convert my 1966 MG Midget from +ve earth to -ve?

Yes, then you can change from dynamo to alternator and fit some decent headlights.

 

[johnw69]

Thanks guys.

Thinking of going with the master/slave route- need to check the depth of the boxes.

Ban all sheds - I'm personally an originallity freak, so would normally say keep it original, but i would be very tempted to change in this case- may depend if you use it at night/ in winter etc etc.


John

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Oh come on Bernard...its Friday afternoon...if the OP wants a dimmer let him have one...

yea, go on. Why not tell him he should install some downlighters aswell..

dimming on a stairway? why would anyone want that?