Light switches

[STALEJ]

I have one 3 switch light switch operating 3 lights in the same room.

I'd like to replace this with a 2 knob dimmer with one if its knobs operating 2 of the lights and the other knob operating the other light.

I'm reasonably happy about how to wire this but I do not wish to overload the dimmer switch.

Will this cause any problems? Is it dangerous?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[davy_owen_88]

What load is connected to each set of lights?

 

[STALEJ]

What load is connected to each set of lights?

Not sure - thinking aboput it more - there's actually currently 4 lights operated by 3 switches. i then want to operate 2 by one knob on the dimmer and the other 2 by the other knob.

is load voltage?

 

[davy_owen_88]

Load = watts. What are the ratings on each lamp fitted?

If you add the 2 watt ratings of the lamps you want to combine then that will tell you if you are going to overload the dimmer you have bought.

Davy

 

[ricicle]

Load isn't watts, it is watts.

Been on the sauce have we davy

 

[davy_owen_88]

Well I got a tad muddled what with the last 2 letters being similar and everything... *gets coat*

 

[STALEJ]

apologies if this is obvious but do you mean the actual light bulb wattage? so if i use 60 watt lightbulbs rather than 100 watt light bulbs (for example) it'll make a difference

 

[securespark]

Whatever load you want to dim, you have to make sure the dimmer will cope with the maximum load. Most dimmers have a minimum of 60W, too.

With some SELV loads, you need special dimmers. Fluorescent loads need specialist kit, too. And if you want to dim mains TH (GU10), then you have to derate by 50%.

IE, if you have 200W of GU10's to dim, your dimmer should be rated minimum 400W.

 

[STALEJ]

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...49887.Lighting>C$cip=49889.Light+switches.htm

so this has 60 watt min to 250 watt max per dimmer. i understnand that this can take 2 100 watt bulds per knob.

 

[securespark]

Yes. If you've got four lights, each with a 100W lamp in, and want to dim two on one module & two on the other, that will be fine.