Advice on wiring 2 gang 1 way switch

R

Rigga

Guest
Hi,

I need to wire in a 2 gang 1 way light switch and have a mental block on
what I need to do. On the back of the switch it has the following:

L1
L2
a wavy line with an arrow through it (whats this?)

I thought that I would just need to have my live feed in to L1 and the
switch live comming from L2, but seeing the wavy line with arrow through it
has confused me!, is this the common? do i not need to use it as I am not
doing 2 way switching?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

Reg
 
"Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I need to wire in a 2 gang 1 way light switch and have a mental block on
> what I need to do. On the back of the switch it has the following:
>
> L1
> L2
> a wavy line with an arrow through it (whats this?)
>
> I thought that I would just need to have my live feed in to L1 and the
> switch live comming from L2, but seeing the wavy line with arrow through

it
> has confused me!, is this the common? do i not need to use it as I am not
> doing 2 way switching?
>
> Any help appreciated.
>
> Thanks
>
> Reg


It sounds to me as if your switch is a single pole double throw. The common
(wavy line with arrow) is connected to L1 in one position and L2 in the
other. Use the common for the live feed and either L1 or L2 as the switched
live. There is often some indication whether to use L1 or L2 so the switch
conforms to the usual UK convention of up for Off and down for On. If in
doubt, check it out with a continuity tester.
Nick.
 
Nick Lockett wrote:

> "Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I need to wire in a 2 gang 1 way light switch and have a mental block on
>> what I need to do. On the back of the switch it has the following:
>>
>> L1
>> L2
>> a wavy line with an arrow through it (whats this?)
>>
>> I thought that I would just need to have my live feed in to L1 and the
>> switch live comming from L2, but seeing the wavy line with arrow through

> it
>> has confused me!, is this the common? do i not need to use it as I am not
>> doing 2 way switching?
>>
>> Any help appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Reg

>
> It sounds to me as if your switch is a single pole double throw. The
> common (wavy line with arrow) is connected to L1 in one position and L2 in
> the other. Use the common for the live feed and either L1 or L2 as the
> switched live. There is often some indication whether to use L1 or L2 so
> the switch conforms to the usual UK convention of up for Off and down for
> On. If in doubt, check it out with a continuity tester.
> Nick.

Thanks for clearing that up for me, its a dimmer switch so I guess trial and
error will prevail for wheter I use L1 or L2.
 
"Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Nick Lockett wrote:
>
> > "Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> I need to wire in a 2 gang 1 way light switch and have a mental block

on
> >> what I need to do. On the back of the switch it has the following:
> >>
> >> L1
> >> L2
> >> a wavy line with an arrow through it (whats this?)
> >>
> >> I thought that I would just need to have my live feed in to L1 and the
> >> switch live comming from L2, but seeing the wavy line with arrow

through
> > it
> >> has confused me!, is this the common? do i not need to use it as I am

not
> >> doing 2 way switching?
> >>
> >> Any help appreciated.
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >>
> >> Reg

> >
> > It sounds to me as if your switch is a single pole double throw. The
> > common (wavy line with arrow) is connected to L1 in one position and L2

in
> > the other. Use the common for the live feed and either L1 or L2 as the
> > switched live. There is often some indication whether to use L1 or L2 so
> > the switch conforms to the usual UK convention of up for Off and down

for
> > On. If in doubt, check it out with a continuity tester.
> > Nick.

> Thanks for clearing that up for me, its a dimmer switch so I guess trial

and
> error will prevail for wheter I use L1 or L2.
>

Your original post didn't say that it was a dimmer switch. The information
I've given you is therefore wrong and following it may well damage the
switch. I suggest you get some advice from a shop that sells similar
switches if nobody else in this group has the answer.
Nick.
 
"Nick Lockett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Nick Lockett wrote:
> >
> > > "Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > >> Hi,
> > >>
> > >> I need to wire in a 2 gang 1 way light switch and have a mental block

> on
> > >> what I need to do. On the back of the switch it has the following:
> > >>
> > >> L1
> > >> L2
> > >> a wavy line with an arrow through it (whats this?)
> > >>
> > >> I thought that I would just need to have my live feed in to L1 and

the
> > >> switch live comming from L2, but seeing the wavy line with arrow

> through
> > > it
> > >> has confused me!, is this the common? do i not need to use it as I am

> not
> > >> doing 2 way switching?
> > >>
> > >> Any help appreciated.
> > >>
> > >> Thanks
> > >>
> > >> Reg
> > >
> > > It sounds to me as if your switch is a single pole double throw. The
> > > common (wavy line with arrow) is connected to L1 in one position and

L2
> in
> > > the other. Use the common for the live feed and either L1 or L2 as the
> > > switched live. There is often some indication whether to use L1 or L2

so
> > > the switch conforms to the usual UK convention of up for Off and down

> for
> > > On. If in doubt, check it out with a continuity tester.
> > > Nick.

> > Thanks for clearing that up for me, its a dimmer switch so I guess trial

> and
> > error will prevail for wheter I use L1 or L2.
> >

> Your original post didn't say that it was a dimmer switch. The information
> I've given you is therefore wrong and following it may well damage the
> switch. I suggest you get some advice from a shop that sells similar
> switches if nobody else in this group has the answer.
> Nick.
>


If it's a "twist to fade", and "press for on/off" type switch, then....

Connect one wire to the Common and the other to L1.

It won't dim the "wrong" way, because L1 and L2 are effectively providing a
2-way facility independent of, but in the same box as, the dimmer. So if
you wanted to, you could have a second switch (not another dimmer, though)
to switch light on and off, but brightness will still be controlled by your
dimmer.

If you're not using a 2nd switch, then it doesn't matter which wire goes to
Common and which to L1.

Obviously, remember to isolate mains supply before doing anything, and make
sure you don't overload the dimmer switch (check wattage marked on switch,
and compare with total wattage of the lights it controls)

HTH

--
Martin

[remove barrier to reply]
 
Martin wrote:

>
> "Nick Lockett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > Nick Lockett wrote:
>> >
>> > > "Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> > > news:[email protected]...
>> > >> Hi,
>> > >>
>> > >> I need to wire in a 2 gang 1 way light switch and have a mental
>> > >> block

>> on
>> > >> what I need to do. On the back of the switch it has the following:
>> > >>
>> > >> L1
>> > >> L2
>> > >> a wavy line with an arrow through it (whats this?)
>> > >>
>> > >> I thought that I would just need to have my live feed in to L1 and

> the
>> > >> switch live comming from L2, but seeing the wavy line with arrow

>> through
>> > > it
>> > >> has confused me!, is this the common? do i not need to use it as I
>> > >> am

>> not
>> > >> doing 2 way switching?
>> > >>
>> > >> Any help appreciated.
>> > >>
>> > >> Thanks
>> > >>
>> > >> Reg
>> > >
>> > > It sounds to me as if your switch is a single pole double throw. The
>> > > common (wavy line with arrow) is connected to L1 in one position and

> L2
>> in
>> > > the other. Use the common for the live feed and either L1 or L2 as
>> > > the switched live. There is often some indication whether to use L1
>> > > or L2

> so
>> > > the switch conforms to the usual UK convention of up for Off and down

>> for
>> > > On. If in doubt, check it out with a continuity tester.
>> > > Nick.
>> > Thanks for clearing that up for me, its a dimmer switch so I guess
>> > trial

>> and
>> > error will prevail for wheter I use L1 or L2.
>> >

>> Your original post didn't say that it was a dimmer switch. The
>> information I've given you is therefore wrong and following it may well
>> damage the switch. I suggest you get some advice from a shop that sells
>> similar switches if nobody else in this group has the answer.
>> Nick.
>>

>
> If it's a "twist to fade", and "press for on/off" type switch, then....
>
> Connect one wire to the Common and the other to L1.
>
> It won't dim the "wrong" way, because L1 and L2 are effectively providing
> a
> 2-way facility independent of, but in the same box as, the dimmer. So if
> you wanted to, you could have a second switch (not another dimmer, though)
> to switch light on and off, but brightness will still be controlled by
> your dimmer.
>
> If you're not using a 2nd switch, then it doesn't matter which wire goes
> to Common and which to L1.
>
> Obviously, remember to isolate mains supply before doing anything, and
> make sure you don't overload the dimmer switch (check wattage marked on
> switch, and compare with total wattage of the lights it controls)
>
> HTH
>
> --
> Martin
>
> [remove barrier to reply]

Thank you, your correct its a twist to fade and press for on / off. Light
is now fitted and working and I am still alive!
 
"Rigga" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Thank you, your correct its a twist to fade and press for on / off. Light
> is now fitted and working and I am still alive!


Great - on both counts :)


--
Martin

[remove barrier to reply]
 
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