Two Way Dimmer Fitting

[nkhan]

I need some with fitting a 2 way dimmer and 1 way switch in kitchen/diner with LED dimmable bulbs.

I fitted the an eclipse 2 way dimmer and rocker switch the other side but somewhere there ia fault as the lights dont go out but i fitted everything as it was before with 2 dimmers but with GU10 standard bulbs.

On the 2 wat side i have an earth, a blue, then yellow and 4 red wires which has be confused and a brown link wire.

The other side is just yellow red and blue where i intend to just fit a rocker or should i get another dimmer there to make it work

Many thank sin advance

 

[sparkwright]

Ok, if you describe how the wires were connected to the old switch, we can then tell you how to connect them to the new switch.

As well as the details of the old switch wiring, we will also need to know what markings are on the new switch.

 

[ericmark]

GU10 standard bulbs.

Should not really dim quartz bulbs the whole idea is to keep the quartz envelope so hot the tungsten will not stick to bulb but will return to element.

a brown link wire.

It would seem if you have link wires your using a borrowed line which can cause 50 Hz hum on other equipment in the house. There are radio linked switches which can remove this problem.

So step one is swap the lights to a type which can be dimmed unless your not worried about short bulb life and second is select a dimmer which uses master/slave system with RF link.

Where red, yellow and blue cable is used normally you can fit a two way switch with no problem but then you would not have links. For lighting often colours mean nothing there was just red for line which became brown latter depending on age all wires should have a red or brown sleeve although often missing. So there never will be a red to A and yellow to B answer it all depends on how wired.

Assuming both switches use the same markings like com, L1 and L2 the wires between switches will normally go like to like so what ever connects to com on one switch will also connect to com on second switch. Again on the master switch normally two wires in L1 and L2 and single wire in Com.

There are wiring diagrams on this site. With two way switching and a standard two way dimmer only one switch has the dimmer. But there are special master and slave systems where the light can be dimmed from either switch.

When bulbs blow they sometimes have ionisation of the gas inside the bulb this is often seen as a flash as they blow. If this happens with a dimmer in circuit it will often cause the dimmer to blow. Be aware with tungsten lamps you may have to swap the dimmer when bulb blows so always have a spare ready.

Today to get dimmable LED lights means the lights cost a lot more also large LED's cost more than a number of smaller LED units so having the lighting split into groups is more common now. Also an LED does not change colour as it's dimmed so much of the ambiance is lost.

 

[nkhan]

I have attached a couple of pics of the switch and wiring

At the moment i want a fit rocker switch at the 1 way end and this dimmer at my 2 way end.

I got it all working with a dimmer at the 1 way end and the only problem is the bulb dont turn off, the switch tried to turn them off but they stay on at a dim level

Im thinking it could be the bulbs maybe?

 

[JohnW2]

I have attached a couple of pics of the switch and wiring

Back of Switch

• nkhan
• 22 Sep 2014
• 1

The Wires going in

• nkhan
• 22 Sep 2014
• 1

Kind Regards, John

 

[deadshort]

Hi, if I recall correctly- The rocker switch should be wired with L feed =C and the L1 is connected to S on the dimmer. If you connected L feed to s on the dimmer you will knacker it !

The rocker switch must be a reactive type as the dimmer only requires a pulse to ramp the lights up or down.

Hope this makes sense !

Kind Regards,

DS

 

[ericmark]

Back of Switch

• nkhan
• 22 Sep 2014
• 1

The Wires going in

• nkhan
• 22 Sep 2014
• 1

Reading the instructions these dimmers are designed for one master and many slaves not a standard switch. See diagram on top of page 2.

If all else fails then read the instructions!

 

[nkhan]

Confused now

I have a standard rocker switch which I intend to fit

I still have the old dimmer I can fit on the other side

I will order a slave today, what's my options in the meantime

 

[Taylortwocities]

I will order a slave today, what's my options in the meantime

Put the original switches back and make sure it still works!

 

[nkhan]

I have replaced with old and same problem

But when I put a couple of standard gu10 in both circuits works perfectly

Also on my 1 way dimmer the blue seems to be in the live for some reason to make it work properly

 

[securespark]

That wiring to the switch there....

Have you altered it at all? Ever?

Which of the screws on each side is the Common terminal?

 

[ericmark]

Colours mean nothing. When we wire a switch we have a pair of wires between light and switch and it really does not matter if the brown wire or the blue wire with brown sleeve is permanent line or switched line.

All wires should be brown but clearly easier to trace with a brown, grey and black or with old colours red, yellow and blue than with all three browns or all three reds.

Although to switch the neutral is dangerous it will still work it is AC there is no positive or negative as such.

However once you fit the special switches then clearly you have to follow the instructions and fit the wires are detailed in the instructions.

So with no two way slave, the S-Link terminal should have no wires in it.

With any light circuit using very low wattage bulbs to stop inductive and capacitive transfer which will cause lamps to light dimly or flash the cables must be balanced feeders of the correct impedance. Where this is not the case using coils or capacitors the miss match can be balanced but the theroy of transmission lines is a complex subject and not really something which could be taught on a forum. In fact without getting out my University books I could not remember all the theroy I just remember it exists.

In the main twin and earth does work as a balanced feeder to a point good enough for tungsten bulbs. As to CFL and LED many makes include a ballum which stops the dim light or flashing.

I used some 0.58W GU10 bulbs which caused a problem swapping for 3W and problem went away as to if that was due to increased load or inclusion of ballum in the bulb I don't know.

It says the dimmer is designed for LED's and there are instructions as to changing driving mode. I see no point in me reading the instructions for you.

 

[ericmark]

That wiring to the switch there....

Have you altered it at all? Ever?

Which of the screws on each side is the Common terminal?

Neither it's not a standard dimmer. I nearly also got caught out. The dimmer in use is a special designed to be used with special slave dimmers not a standard two way switch.

 

[nkhan]

That wiring to the switch there....

Have you altered it at all? Ever?

Which of the screws on each side is the Common terminal?

I have never changed the wiring myself but when I got my redone there is chance the builder may have re wired

I get the feeling some if the wires are wrong bit wouldn't know where to start as there is another fees coming in

There is 2 red with purple tape on them and I have 2 more red

 

[securespark]

Sorry. I thought it had been swapped back to a standard dimmer.