Halp pls! Trying to replace a 2 way dimmer switch

matt100

matt100

matt100

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I'm moving house and I want to take my lightwave dual dimmer switch with me as they're hecking expensive.

I've bought a replacement 2 gang dimmer, I've wired it in exactly the way the lightwave one was wired in.. this controls island pendants and kitchen spotlights. The spotlights work and dim fine, the island pendants don't at all.

Any idea where I'm going wrong?





 
Actually this might be more helpful.. this is the lightwave switch back in place. This is working just fine.


 
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When only brown cores exist :cry:

Looks like you're missing the switched live back to the light to me. But hard to tell with that mess.
 
No electrician here so I don't know what I'm talking about but first pic has the brown wire with paint on going to the right side but your other picture when it worked has the painted brown wire to the left.

I'm guessing that just allows one dimmer to control multiple switched lives but that's Presuming the rest of your house is wired properly so I'd just wire it up exactly the same.

I'd also do it with the whole house isolated at the consumer unit as well. :p
 
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Those Wago connectors are great as well. I was looking for something similar when putting up my outdoor CCTV cameras and they were perfect.
 
Yes I did switch around the wires between the new dimmer (top) and the old lightwave (bottom) after I wired it in the same and the island lights didn't work.

To be fair this was installed at the same time as the whole kitchen which was done to a really good standard and all works great. I just don't understand this socket unfortunately.
 
So to be clear the bottom pic is the existing setup which works perfectly. I'm merely trying to replace the switch.. but working up a standard switch in the same way doesn't work.
 
matt100 said:
So to be clear the bottom pic is the existing setup which works perfectly. I'm merely trying to replace the switch.. but working up a standard switch in the same way doesn't work.
Click to expand...
Is it actually 2 way switched or is it just this switch for both lights?

Does this smart switch share live across both switches internally? If so, on the dumb switch you need to bridge another live from the common live to the second gang on the switch.
 
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I don't know what the smart switch does, my kitchen guys installed it.. but yes it controls 2 sets of lights but you can't control them from another switch.
 
matt100 said:
I don't know what the smart switch does, my kitchen guys installed it.. but yes it controls 2 sets of lights but you can't control them from another switch.
Click to expand...
If I had to guess from a distance I'd say the new switch is not working because one side doesn't have live. So on the new switch you need to put a little jumper wire on the common.

See this image.



Wire up the new switch again and swap the live to other side first to see if it works. Also you should really sheath the switched lives so they are easily identifiable.
 
200sols said:
Is it actually 2 way switched or is it just this switch for both lights?

Does this smart switch share live across both switches internally? If so, on the dumb switch you need to bridge another live from the common live to the second gang on the switch.
Click to expand...
Good shout, this website shows different dimmers being bridged.


The one you want to keep might share the same connection across both sides but the one you've bought new is 2 separate dimmers.

I'd be inclined to just put it all back and chalk it up to experience because saving £150 on the dimmer is going to be nothing if the new owners sue you for dodgy wiring and find this forum post when the house burns down. :p
 
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