countryboy
Inactive User
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2002
- Messages
- 4,345
- Reaction score
- 723
ive put a dimmer switch on . its lights but wont turn off. ive 3 red wires the box has L1 L2 AND C Im lost at what ive did wrong any help would be great x
dimmer switch
- Thread starter countryboy
- Start date
countryboy
Inactive User
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2002
- Messages
- 4,345
- Reaction score
- 723
yea m8 does the living room light down stairs hall light and out side porch
can you let me what you trying to do please
countryboy
Inactive User
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2002
- Messages
- 4,345
- Reaction score
- 723
There are 3 red wires on there mate even though you can only really see 2 xx
How many switches did the last switch have? Would have been Easier to copy the wiring from the old one. Sounds as though one of the Reds is live and one leads to the porch and the other to the room. I don't know for sure but it seems that way to me. My house is wired in a similar way . It's also the wrong way. I'm not a sparky just speaking from my own experience with my switches.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2007
- Messages
- 2,991
- Reaction score
- 191
Is one marked or have a sleeve on it ?
You need the one cable which should be marked (it will be a feed/permanent 240v or will be feeding the lights)
That cable need to go to the common, the other 2 go to L1 and L2, does not matter which way.
You need the one cable which should be marked (it will be a feed/permanent 240v or will be feeding the lights)
That cable need to go to the common, the other 2 go to L1 and L2, does not matter which way.
coathanger57
DW Member +
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2012
- Messages
- 156
- Reaction score
- 66
are two of the reds twisted together,if so that is probably your live and the other red is your switch wire.
If those three blacks were already in that connector you need two switches. You have an incoming live and two outgoing. One live to outside light one to other light. You had a two-gang switch before? Two switches together?
countryboy
Inactive User
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2002
- Messages
- 4,345
- Reaction score
- 723
there is 3 cables coming out the wall all normal cables and there was a dimmer on it but it broke . this should be so easy im missing something lol
Not if you answer my questions?
countryboy
Inactive User
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2002
- Messages
- 4,345
- Reaction score
- 723
there never was 2 switches m8 it was a single dimmer in the livingroom but the wires must be loop to the hall and the front door light
As per your post #3 , a dimmer switch would never feed three different lights, your missing something important m8,
Is it possible that there was one live coming in, which is the common I believe, one other switched live to dimmer (L1 or L2) and the other red was piggybacked/twisted/connected on to the live (common) and feeding the other switches?
That's not correct but I've seen worse lol
Essef
Inactive User
Here,s my take on your wiring.
You have three Red Lives, 2 of these are for your dimmer ie FEED in and VARIABLE out and the third is there as a LIVE strapper to another light somewhere in the house and as no bearing on the dimmer.
So it should be relatively easy to re-wire it as only 2 wires are needed for the dimmer, find these 2 then add the 3 red to the permanent incoming live side of the dimmer switch.
Essef
Ps the 2 black wires are presumably Negatives (your switch back box is being used as a junction) if not these need sleeving RED
Pps Easiest method to ascertain whats what is to insulate yourself and use shielded tools then momentarily connect one red to the next via the switches strap screws until you find which wire does what. !!! (WITH CAUTION)
You have three Red Lives, 2 of these are for your dimmer ie FEED in and VARIABLE out and the third is there as a LIVE strapper to another light somewhere in the house and as no bearing on the dimmer.
So it should be relatively easy to re-wire it as only 2 wires are needed for the dimmer, find these 2 then add the 3 red to the permanent incoming live side of the dimmer switch.
Essef
Ps the 2 black wires are presumably Negatives (your switch back box is being used as a junction) if not these need sleeving RED
Pps Easiest method to ascertain whats what is to insulate yourself and use shielded tools then momentarily connect one red to the next via the switches strap screws until you find which wire does what. !!! (WITH CAUTION)
Last edited:
Right. Power off, remove two connected reds and seperate. Power on and use a meter across red and blacks to establish which is live. Power off. Connect live to common (C). Remove red from L1/L2 and connect to common. The red left over goes in L1. Power on.
Obviously use great care and let us know result but it looks like it's loop-in/loop-out terminated in the wallbox.
coathanger57
DW Member +
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2012
- Messages
- 156
- Reaction score
- 66
where do you stay, if local to paisley,i'll come round and fix it.
My guess would be
One of the reds to c, link to the other c
black to one of the L1s
the other red to the other L1
If that doesnt work, swop round the two reds.
If you're still stuck you'll need a test indicator or multimeter to work it out.
One of the reds to c, link to the other c
black to one of the L1s
the other red to the other L1
If that doesnt work, swop round the two reds.
If you're still stuck you'll need a test indicator or multimeter to work it out.
Similar threads
