Our living room has 2 light fittings, connected to one switch point with 2 individual switches, one for each light fitting. I bought a 2 switch dimmer to replace the existing 2 switch box, but the wiring of the old Vs new seems so much different, and the instructions are so vague.
Firstly, the existing wiring is old style, and is currently set up like this:
2 gangs into the switch, both have an earth wire going into the earth terminal in the switch backplate. Then, from one gang there is a red wire that connects to a "common" terminal in each switch (the wire is kind of looped to go into both). Then, from one gang there is a red wire with another black sleeve over it going into L1 on one switch. Finally, from the other gang there is a red wire but with no black sleeve going into the L1 on the other switch. The switch itself has no earth terminal.
The new switch is metal and has its own earth terminal. On each switch it has 3 terminals - an L1, L2 and an arrow with a squiggly line through it. I assume the latter is equivalent to common but the instructions don't really say.
Does anyone know how to replicate the wiring from the old to the new?
Do I need to use the earth terminal in the new switch as well as, or instead of, the already set up earth terminal in the switch back plate?
Firstly, the existing wiring is old style, and is currently set up like this:
2 gangs into the switch, both have an earth wire going into the earth terminal in the switch backplate. Then, from one gang there is a red wire that connects to a "common" terminal in each switch (the wire is kind of looped to go into both). Then, from one gang there is a red wire with another black sleeve over it going into L1 on one switch. Finally, from the other gang there is a red wire but with no black sleeve going into the L1 on the other switch. The switch itself has no earth terminal.
The new switch is metal and has its own earth terminal. On each switch it has 3 terminals - an L1, L2 and an arrow with a squiggly line through it. I assume the latter is equivalent to common but the instructions don't really say.
Does anyone know how to replicate the wiring from the old to the new?
Do I need to use the earth terminal in the new switch as well as, or instead of, the already set up earth terminal in the switch back plate?