I want to replace a 1 gang 2 way switch with a dimmer switch.
The old wiring is 2 cables each with 1 red and 1 black wire plus earths. The red and black wires from one cable go into two holes marked L1. The other red and black wires from the second cable go into two holes marked L2.
The new dimmer switch, which is a 2 way dimmer, has a C, L1 and L2 hole.
I understand that one of the wires is the live which goes into the C. That leaves me with three other wires and 2 holes!

On 23/02/2013 22:41, Rantallion wrote:

I want to replace a 1 gang 2 way switch with a dimmer switch.
The old wiring is 2 cables each with 1 red and 1 black wire plus earths.
The red and black wires from one cable go into two holes marked L1.
The other red and black wires from the second cable go into two holes
marked L2.
The new dimmer switch, which is a 2 way dimmer, has a C, L1 and L2
hole.
I understand that one of the wires is the live which goes into the C.
That leaves me with three other wires and 2 holes!

Its late, so try this as a quick answer:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._Way_Switching

if that does not help, then more information will no doubt follow later ;-)


--
Cheers,

John.

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| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
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On 23/02/2013 22:41, Rantallion wrote:

I want to replace a 1 gang 2 way switch with a dimmer switch.
The old wiring is 2 cables each with 1 red and 1 black wire plus earths.
The red and black wires from one cable go into two holes marked L1.
The other red and black wires from the second cable go into two holes
marked L2.

Is there only two switches that operate the lights or are there three or
more?

dennis@home wrote:
On 23/02/2013 22:41, Rantallion wrote:

I want to replace a 1 gang 2 way switch with a dimmer switch.
The old wiring is 2 cables each with 1 red and 1 black wire plus
earths. The red and black wires from one cable go into two holes
marked L1. The other red and black wires from the second cable go into
two
holes marked L2.

Is there only two switches that operate the lights or are there three
or more?

An intermediate switch:-) But it matters not as the OP is using DIYBanter.

--
Adam

Thanks for the link. Looks like my wiring is the old 'alternative' method of 2 way switching with 2 core plus earth not three core plus earth cables, probably with a borrowed neutral. Am still confused about how I can wire it to the new dimmer. Think I might have to give up or get a sparky unless you've got any other ideas.

On 24/02/2013 13:13, Rantallion wrote:
John Rumm;3019213 Wrote:
On 23/02/2013 22:41, Rantallion wrote:-

I want to replace a 1 gang 2 way switch with a dimmer switch.
The old wiring is 2 cables each with 1 red and 1 black wire plus
earths.
The red and black wires from one cable go into two holes marked L1.
The other red and black wires from the second cable go into two holes
marked L2.
The new dimmer switch, which is a 2 way dimmer, has a C, L1 and L2
hole.
I understand that one of the wires is the live which goes into the C.
That leaves me with three other wires and 2 holes!-

Ok awake now...

still not making much more sense alas - a photo would help.

A normal single gang two way switch should have three terminals, C, L1
and L2 - i.e. exactly the same as your new dimmer.

A two way switch is a changeover switch - the C terminal is connected to
either the L1 or the L2 terminal depending on the position.

Hence your comment about what sounds like multiple L1s and L2s does not
seem right if we are talking about the same things....

Could you possibly have an intermediate switch?

This has 4 terminals rather than three?

Thanks for the link. Looks like my wiring is the old 'alternative'
method of 2 way switching with 2 core plus earth not three core plus
earth cables, probably with a borrowed neutral. Am still confused about
how I can wire it to the new dimmer. Think I might have to give up or
get a sparky unless you've got any other ideas.

How many switches have you in total that control the light?

How are the others wired?


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 24/02/2013 14:24, John Rumm wrote:

Could you possibly have an intermediate switch?

This has 4 terminals rather than three?

There are dimmers that need a neutral so they would have 4 terminals but
they would labelled wouldn't they?

In article om,
dennis@home wrote:
There are dimmers that need a neutral so they would have 4 terminals but
they would labelled wouldn't they?

Domestic dimmers? Never seen one. And the first dimmer I ever saw was in
the '60s. Still just replaced an ordinary light switch.

--
*Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article om,
dennis@home wrote:
There are dimmers that need a neutral so they would have 4
terminals but they would labelled wouldn't they?

Domestic dimmers? Never seen one.

Go B&Q they sell them:-)

--
Adam

dennis@home wrote:
On 24/02/2013 14:24, John Rumm wrote:

Could you possibly have an intermediate switch?

This has 4 terminals rather than three?

There are dimmers that need a neutral so they would have 4 terminals
but they would labelled wouldn't they?


Considering that the only dimmer switch that the OP has is still in it's
packaging then we can forget that comment.

--
Adam

There are 3 switches so I'm guessing its an intermediate switch. There's 2 switches on top of the landing and one down stairs. The top 2 are both wired the same way, haven't checked the downstairs one but I want the dimmer upstairs. Need to keep a light on for the kids at night but its too bright and drives me bonkers!

On 24/02/2013 14:34, dennis@home wrote:
On 24/02/2013 14:24, John Rumm wrote:

Could you possibly have an intermediate switch?

This has 4 terminals rather than three?

There are dimmers that need a neutral so they would have 4 terminals but
they would labelled wouldn't they?

Its sounded like his existing non dimmer switch has 4 terminals...


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 24/02/2013 18:28, Rantallion wrote:

dennis@home;3019347 Wrote:
On 23/02/2013 22:41, Rantallion wrote:-

I want to replace a 1 gang 2 way switch with a dimmer switch.
The old wiring is 2 cables each with 1 red and 1 black wire plus
earths.
The red and black wires from one cable go into two holes marked L1.
The other red and black wires from the second cable go into two holes
marked L2.-

Is there only two switches that operate the lights or are there three or

more?

There are 3 switches so I'm guessing its an intermediate switch.
There's 2 switches on top of the landing and one down stairs. The top 2
are both wired the same way, haven't checked the downstairs one but I
want the dimmer upstairs. Need to keep a light on for the kids at night
but its too bright and drives me bonkers!

ok that would makes sense. If you check one of the other two switches
they ought to be the three terminal types. Replace either one of them
with the dimmer and that will then do what you want.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Thanks.

Had a look but all the dimmers I could see in the shops had three terminals.

Think my switches are definitely intermediate switches. Don't know if its possible to replace one of these with a dimmer.

On 24/02/2013 20:56, Rantallion wrote:
dennis@home;3019472 Wrote:
On 24/02/2013 14:24, John Rumm wrote:
-
Could you possibly have an intermediate switch?

This has 4 terminals rather than three?-

There are dimmers that need a neutral so they would have 4 terminals but

they would labelled wouldn't they?

Thanks.

Had a look but all the dimmers I could see in the shops had three
terminals.

Yup, and that is all you are likely to find.

Think my switches are definitely intermediate switches. Don't know if
its possible to replace one of these with a dimmer.

You have two options...

1) Ignore the intermediate switch and leave it alone, and replace one of
the other switches (i.e. one of the proper three terminal two way
switches), with a two way switch dimmer. That give you brightness
control from the one switch position, and on/off control from that and
the others.

2) Replace all the switches with one master dimmer, and a number of
slave dimmers. You may need to wiring changes at the intermediate
position. This will allow on/off and brightness control from all switch
positions.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 25/02/2013 04:22, John Rumm wrote:
8

1) Ignore the intermediate switch and leave it alone, and replace one of
the other switches (i.e. one of the proper three terminal two way
switches), with a two way switch dimmer. That give you brightness
control from the one switch position, and on/off control from that and
the others.

2) Replace all the switches with one master dimmer, and a number of
slave dimmers. You may need to wiring changes at the intermediate
position. This will allow on/off and brightness control from all switch
positions.



3)

leave the wiring as it is and fit

http://www.screwfix.com/p/lightwaver...mable-bc/51156