Can anyone advise me if it is possible to wire up a two-way circuit
with a plate two way light switch and a push on/off, rotary two way
dimmer, so that either is able to turn off the light.

At the moment whichever switch turns on the light is the only one that
can switch it off.

The dimmer can always dim the light, regardless of how it was switched
on.

Is it possible to have either switch able to switch off the light,
even if it didn't switch it on?

The dimmer is at the 'remote' end of the circuit at the moment - in
other words it only has the red/yellow/blue cable going to it.
Does it need to be at the 'feed' end?

what terminals, do I need to put which cables in, on which switch?
I have tried various combinations to no avail :-(

Many thanks for any advice.



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On 13 Oct 2004 wrote:

Can anyone advise me if it is possible to wire up a two-way circuit
with a plate two way light switch and a push on/off, rotary two way
dimmer, so that either is able to turn off the light.

I don't see why not. The actual dimmer circuit should be connected to
the common pole of the changeover switch. Are you sure the switch
linked to the dimmer is two-way, not on/off?

At the moment whichever switch turns on the light is the only one that
can switch it off.

Which means that you've effectively got two on/off switches in
parallel.

The dimmer can always dim the light, regardless of how it was switched
on.

I can't see immediately how this works but there must be a wiring error.

Is it possible to have either switch able to switch off the light,
even if it didn't switch it on?

That's how it should work.

The dimmer is at the 'remote' end of the circuit at the moment - in
other words it only has the red/yellow/blue cable going to it.
Does it need to be at the 'feed' end?

No. If you look at the diagram below you'll see that it doesn't matter
which end the supply goes to.

what terminals, do I need to put which cables in, on which switch?
I have tried various combinations to no avail :-(

(red) L1 L1
Supply=====O==================================O red
---O===================O--wwww--O--- yellow
Load=======O==================================O blue
(black) L2 C C L2
Plate switch dimmer push switch

It doesn't matter if L1 and L2 are interchanged. The important thing is
that the two common (C) terminals are connected to each other and
nothing else.

--
Richard Porter
Mail to username ricp at domain minijem.plus.com
"You can't have Windows without pains."

In article 1097704801.7k9xeGHJ4TgfJlZk+ksONw@teranews,
wrote:
Can anyone advise me if it is possible to wire up a two-way circuit
with a plate two way light switch and a push on/off, rotary two way
dimmer, so that either is able to turn off the light.

Yes. Push on/off dimmers usually have a two way switch and can be treated
as one. Provided the dimmer isn't turned down so far the light goes out,
of course. But most stop before this. The type that turn off at the end
aren't two way - or rather I've not seen one that is.

--
*A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

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

wrote:

Can anyone advise me if it is possible to wire up a two-way circuit
with a plate two way light switch and a push on/off, rotary two way
dimmer, so that either is able to turn off the light.

Yup, although at the plate switch end you will be stuck with whatever
brightness has been selected at the dimmer end (unless you get some more
expensive master slave dimmers)

At the moment whichever switch turns on the light is the only one that
can switch it off.

That's not right.... but I guess you knew that!

The dimmer can always dim the light, regardless of how it was switched
on.

This is how it should be...

Is it possible to have either switch able to switch off the light,
even if it didn't switch it on?

Yes

The dimmer is at the 'remote' end of the circuit at the moment - in
other words it only has the red/yellow/blue cable going to it.
Does it need to be at the 'feed' end?

Does not matter. If you look at the diagram below, and complete circuit
(i.e. light one) will include a path through the dimmer.


what terminals, do I need to put which cables in, on which switch?
I have tried various combinations to no avail :-(

Live SW1 SW2
------------*--------------------*
L1 / L1
/
*--------------*
/ COM
L2 / L2
------------*--------------------*
Sw Live


--
Cheers,

John.

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

wrote:

Can anyone advise me if it is possible to wire up a two-way circuit
with a plate two way light switch and a push on/off, rotary two way
dimmer, so that either is able to turn off the light.


Yes, cos U have half a dozen wired that way.

At the moment whichever switch turns on the light is the only one that
can switch it off.

The dimmer can always dim the light, regardless of how it was switched
on.

That is inescapable.


Is it possible to have either switch able to switch off the light,
even if it didn't switch it on?

Yes.

The dimmer is at the 'remote' end of the circuit at the moment - in
other words it only has the red/yellow/blue cable going to it.
Does it need to be at the 'feed' end?

Makes no difference.

Your incoming live should probably go to the changeover contact of the
simple switch.


Each other contact of the simple switch should go via the three way
cable to the same contacts on the dimmer/switch.

The changeover contact on the dimmer switch then goes into one side of
the dimmer, and the other is now switched dimmable live.

Whether you take the live feed back to the first switch and feed the
lamp(s) from there or have carried the neutral along the third wire to
the dimmer, and run the lamp(s) from that, is a matter of personal taste
and your wiring layout.



what terminals, do I need to put which cables in, on which switch?
I have tried various combinations to no avail :-(

You haven't tried the right one.

Leaving the dimmer aside. you have three terminals on each switch.
Incoming live goes into the changeover contact, the two other contacts
are connected to the same contacts on the remote switch, and the
switched live is taken from ITS changeover contact.

The switched live simply then goes through the dimmer to form a dimmable
switched live.

The last bit of the three way cable carries either this switched
dimmable live back to the incoming, or the neutral to the remote switch,
depending where the lamp feed comes in.






Many thanks for any advice.



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Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article 1097704801.7k9xeGHJ4TgfJlZk+ksONw@teranews,
wrote:

Can anyone advise me if it is possible to wire up a two-way circuit
with a plate two way light switch and a push on/off, rotary two way
dimmer, so that either is able to turn off the light.


Yes. Push on/off dimmers usually have a two way switch and can be treated
as one. Provided the dimmer isn't turned down so far the light goes out,
of course. But most stop before this. The type that turn off at the end
aren't two way - or rather I've not seen one that is.

Mine do in fact go all the way down. However when that dim, I forget to
turn them off anyway.

So in practice I seldom switch on and find the wretched things on the
wrong setting.

John Rumm wrote:

wrote:

Can anyone advise me if it is possible to wire up a two-way circuit
with a plate two way light switch and a push on/off, rotary two way
dimmer, so that either is able to turn off the light.


Yup, although at the plate switch end you will be stuck with whatever
brightness has been selected at the dimmer end (unless you get some more
expensive master slave dimmers)

At the moment whichever switch turns on the light is the only one that
can switch it off.


That's not right.... but I guess you knew that!

The dimmer can always dim the light, regardless of how it was switched
on.


This is how it should be...

Is it possible to have either switch able to switch off the light,
even if it didn't switch it on?


Yes

The dimmer is at the 'remote' end of the circuit at the moment - in
other words it only has the red/yellow/blue cable going to it. Does it
need to be at the 'feed' end?


Does not matter. If you look at the diagram below, and complete circuit
(i.e. light one) will include a path through the dimmer.


what terminals, do I need to put which cables in, on which switch? I
have tried various combinations to no avail :-(


Live SW1 SW2
------------*--------------------*
L1 / L1
/
*--------------*
/ COM
L2 / L2
------------*--------------------*
Sw Live




Mm. I don't do it that way actually.

I do it this way
+------------------+
/ \
Live----------+/ \+---------switched live


+------------------+

But yours works equally was well.


Mine always leaves one of connecting the cables iso1ated when on, yours
has the interconect always connected to live or switched live. Not sure
if that makes any marginal differences really.

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Mm. I don't do it that way actually.

I do it this way
+------------------+
/ \
Live----------+/ \+---------switched live


+------------------+

But yours works equally was well.

Most will be extending from an existing switch pair in one box. So wiring
that switch pair across L1/L2 while using triple and earth to the second
switch is the sanitary way - avoiding extra choc blocks.



--
*Organized Crime Is Alive And Well; It's Called Auto Insurance.

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

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Mm. I don't do it that way actually.

I do it this way
+------------------+
/ \
Live----------+/ \+---------switched live


+------------------+

But yours works equally was well.


Mine always leaves one of connecting the cables iso1ated when on, yours
has the interconect always connected to live or switched live. Not sure
if that makes any marginal differences really.

Yup, several ways of doing it.

The one I suggested is what they recommend in the on site guide (fig
7.3.4 in the brown book) for minimising interference with induction loop
hearing aid systems.


--
Cheers,

John.

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

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 23:00:11 +0100,
wrote:

Can anyone advise me if it is possible to wire up a two-way circuit
with a plate two way light switch and a push on/off, rotary two way
dimmer, so that either is able to turn off the light.

At the moment whichever switch turns on the light is the only one that
can switch it off.

The dimmer can always dim the light, regardless of how it was switched
on.

Is it possible to have either switch able to switch off the light,
even if it didn't switch it on?

The dimmer is at the 'remote' end of the circuit at the moment - in
other words it only has the red/yellow/blue cable going to it.
Does it need to be at the 'feed' end?

what terminals, do I need to put which cables in, on which switch?
I have tried various combinations to no avail :-(

Many thanks for any advice.



Remove NOSPAN to reply via email



Many thanks to all who posted replies.

Fixed it!!!

Problem was due to L1,L2,L3 on each switch pointing to diffrent
terminals??? (both UK manufacturers to boot!)

Soo...

When I wired up correctly L1 to L1, etc it was wrong.
Solved it with aid of continuity tester.

Is there no standard in this? L1 and L3 were each's common?

Moral, don't take whats written as gospell.

Again, thanks a lot for your advice.

P/s anyone know of someone who could fit a mitred join to a worktop
for me in Redhill/Gatwick area? I would buy the tools and have a go
myself but it seems a waste for a one off.

Regards, Gerry.



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In article 1098018921.ttPR+RExDWU8Q+ShpwxL4g@teranews,
wrote:
Problem was due to L1,L2,L3 on each switch pointing to diffrent
terminals??? (both UK manufacturers to boot!)

Soo...

When I wired up correctly L1 to L1, etc it was wrong.
Solved it with aid of continuity tester.

Is there no standard in this? L1 and L3 were each's common?

Moral, don't take whats written as gospell.

If they're written as L 1 2 & 3 I don't think there is a standard.

--
*Too many clicks spoil the browse *

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