If anyone can help me out it would be REALLY appreciated
I've recently become a Granny and decided I'd fit a dimmer switch so that when my baby grandson visits I can dim the lights when it's time for him to have a nap. Should be easy for someone who was in IT support for over 10 years!?! NOT SO!
I was overjoyed when I fitted the new Chrome dimmer and the lights lit up as soon as I turned on the power and switched it on. Turned off the power screwed the switch securely into the metal back box, switched back on the power, turned on the switch and the fuse box went off. No amount of 'fiddling' with the switch could enable me to get the light fitting attached to the dimmer back on - all other lights back on fine once the fuse box switch was re-activated.
Decided it must be a faulty switch as I'd bought it for £10 at Trago Mills, so bought another one at Focus this morning. Exactly the same thing again, all lit up great until I secured it to the box, then the fuse box switched off again and once again I can't get the dimmer to work. Someone suggested it may be to do with a wire getting crimped or squashed when I fixed it all together, but I can't even get it to work when it's not attached to the box now. Have swapped bulbs with a different room to make sure I hadn't blown those.
Have I really blown 2 switches, or is it something else I am doing wrong? I can't really afford to keep going through switches to find out and stupidly threw away the original switch (bin men came this morning). I am at the point of calling someone out, but don't know if there's any point unless I buy a 3rd dimmer switch.
Any help would be VERY VERY VERY well received. There have already been tears today when I managed to stab my hand with the screw-driver because the screw for where the earth cable connects was so tightly done up I slipped trying to undo it.
Thanks
Emma
I've recently become a Granny and decided I'd fit a dimmer switch so that when my baby grandson visits I can dim the lights when it's time for him to have a nap. Should be easy for someone who was in IT support for over 10 years!?! NOT SO!
I was overjoyed when I fitted the new Chrome dimmer and the lights lit up as soon as I turned on the power and switched it on. Turned off the power screwed the switch securely into the metal back box, switched back on the power, turned on the switch and the fuse box went off. No amount of 'fiddling' with the switch could enable me to get the light fitting attached to the dimmer back on - all other lights back on fine once the fuse box switch was re-activated.
Decided it must be a faulty switch as I'd bought it for £10 at Trago Mills, so bought another one at Focus this morning. Exactly the same thing again, all lit up great until I secured it to the box, then the fuse box switched off again and once again I can't get the dimmer to work. Someone suggested it may be to do with a wire getting crimped or squashed when I fixed it all together, but I can't even get it to work when it's not attached to the box now. Have swapped bulbs with a different room to make sure I hadn't blown those.
Have I really blown 2 switches, or is it something else I am doing wrong? I can't really afford to keep going through switches to find out and stupidly threw away the original switch (bin men came this morning). I am at the point of calling someone out, but don't know if there's any point unless I buy a 3rd dimmer switch.
Any help would be VERY VERY VERY well received. There have already been tears today when I managed to stab my hand with the screw-driver because the screw for where the earth cable connects was so tightly done up I slipped trying to undo it.
Thanks
Emma
