Please help me wire my dimmer switch for my wall lights!

[novicesparky]

looks like we're getting somewhere - just done the two reds and two black thing and the lights have come on!!! that just means I've buggered the switch!! - just need to blag a replacement from the diy store now - not beyond my realms of capability ( unlike wiring a dimmer switch!!!) thanks guys! x

 

[novicesparky]

just let me try - which one is the live feed, where does it go and where do the rest go??? sorry to sound dim

 

[Belle427]

concentrate on the arrow terminl and L1,put the 2 reds in,if no joy swap the 2 reds over and try again

 

[johnny_t]

Two things I'd add to that.

1) Be careful. One fo those reds is live and could kill you if you haven't turned it off first.

2) If you go back to the DIY store, and you are interested in getting deeper into DIY electrics, I'd invest about a tenner in a cheap multimeter if I were you, and it will help you track these things down.

 

[novicesparky]

ok now i'm really baffled!!!

Have just connected another dimmer ( which I know was working about 5 minutes ago!!) I've tried all the red wire combinations with the blacks in the block and they don't work!!! I know the lights work, I know the switch works so what have I done wrong??

 

[johnny_t]

What are you trying to dim ? Are they normal light bulbs ? What is the total Wattage ? What is the power rating of the dimmer (it will say something like 240V AC, 400W on the back - the 400W is the power rating).

 

[johnny_t]

Just one thought, and I promised I'm not being sarcastic, but its not a dimmer you have to push to turn on and off is it ?

 

[novicesparky]

yes johnny - it's not a sarcastic question!!! they do need to be pushed in and out to turn on and off - does that make a difference?

 

[Belle427]

stick the old switch back on and call someone who knows a bit more,it sounds
like you have tried every option

 

[novicesparky]

the light bulbs are little 40w ones with little hooked wires on the bottom and there are eight in total (240w) the switch is up to 400w and has a picture of a lightbulb with a + and another picture and .... so I assume you can attach more than one bulb!

 

[johnny_t]

Only that in all the excitement of the rewiring, you are remembering to push on as well, aren't you. If so, ignore that and go back to my questions in the post above....

 

[Belle427]

are they low voltage?

 

[novicesparky]

I know I'm dim but I'm not that dim!!
I was pushing them in and out - several times in fact!!

 

[novicesparky]

the bulbs are 240v ( is that low????!)

 

[Belle427]

no