Light Switch Wiring

[littlebeagle]

I am having trouble wiring up a light socket in my house and was hoping for some help.

On the one wall there is a socket that controls 3 lights, the hall, lounge and landing. On the back wall there is a socket that controls just the lounge, it's the latter I want to replace so have purchased a two way dimmer.

When I remove the existing socket it has two holes labelled L1 L1 at the top with a brown and black cable in each and two holes at the bottom labelled L2 L2 at the bottom with a brown and black wire in. There are two grey cables that aren't connected.

The back of the dimmer switch has 3 holes. ~, L1 and L2. Have I got the right socket and if so which cables go in which hole?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Zambezi]

Is there a 3rd switch somewhere that controls the lounge lights?
Are there earth wires at the switch position - normally bare copper with a green and yellow sleeving on it?
Is the new dimmer metallic or plastic?

 

[littlebeagle]

Nope there isn't a 3rd switch.

The earth cable is grounded at the back of the socket. The new dimmer switch is plastic.

 

[rebuke]

It's strange - it sounds like what you've got there is an intermediate switch, which you'd normally use if you wanted 3 switches controlling the one light. I see you've said there isn't a 3rd switch at the moment, but is it possible there was one in the past somewhere, that might still have a termination somewhere?

 

[Zambezi]

Is it possible to take a picture of the back of the light switch in question?
I am a bit stumped because what you are describing sounds like an intermediate switch, not a 2 way switch (which is why I asked if there is a 3rd switch somewhere).

 

[littlebeagle]

I will take a picture tonight as I'm at work at the moment.


I'm fairly certain it is an intermediate switch too, but like I said there is no 3rd switch for the lounge lights so I have no idea where the cable is going. Is it possible that the wiring would go to a switch that controls a different light?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You can use an intermediate switch as a 2-way or a 1-way, it just depends how you wire it.

littlebeagle - please review the material here: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting and learn how lighting circuits are wired, how 1-way, 2-way and intermediate switches work etc, then you'll be able to work out what you've got and how to modify it.


PS...

Socket:

Switch:

 

[rebuke]

It could go to behind a switch somewhere, and have just been terminated using connector block or crimps or something like that, if it used to be controlled at that switch...

 

[littlebeagle]

If I use a connector block to terminate the cables am I ok to work out which cable does nothing? I'm not going to blow anything up am I?

Assuming that it goes to no where the 2 gray cables that aren't currently connected will I need to wire one of those into the ~ slot on the dimmer?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If I use a connector block to terminate the cables am I ok to work out which cable does nothing? I'm not going to blow anything up am I?

Probably not, but there are no absolute guarantees without knowing what each conductor carries, but armed with your knowledge of how lighting circuits are wired, how 1-way, 2-way and intermediate switches work etc, and a multimeter, you'll be able to test the cables and find out what does what and goes where..

Assuming that it goes to no where the 2 gray cables that aren't currently connected will I need to wire one of those into the ~ slot on the dimmer?

No.

Please review the material here: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting and learn how lighting circuits are wired, how 1-way, 2-way and intermediate switches work etc, then you'll be able to work out what you've got and how to modify it.