Dimmer switch

[Craig2022]

Can you get dimmer switch that's a 2 way? I've been asked to change a double gang switch that 2 ways up with other end of living room.
They want to be able to have a dimmer switch, is this possibility, with a simple change over of faceplates to dimmers?

 

[Resu]

Do you mean a dimmer at each end or a dimmer at one end on a two gang switch with a normal switch alongside?

 

[Craig2022]

The 2 gang switch for a double dimmer to control lighting in living room and in following room. An the other end of the 2 way to be a dimmer, if not it would be fine to have just a normal switch

 

[Resu]

The 2 gang switch for a double dimmer to control lighting in living room and in following room. An the other end of the 2 way to be a dimmer, if not it would be fine to have just a normal switch

Varilight make a range of touch dimmers that will work. It's a master/slave setup will try and find them.

 

[Resu]

This is what I'm talking about, you'll need to make sure you have a master for one end and a slave for the other. You can also get remotes for them. Not sure if they work with LEDs, not sure if that's a factor?

 

[Craig2022]

They just have normal pendants with normal lamps? So realistically shouldn't be hard to do, what's these like to wire up?
Sorry about the silly questions, still early days of my apprenticeship

 

[Richard Burns]

Most dimmer switches will have the capability to be wired into two way switching so long as there is only one dimmer for that light.
The dimmers wire up the same as with a standard two way switch but the terminals all tend to be at the top of the switch (and rather small!).
The terminals are usually labelled L1 L2 and C, though there are variations.

If there is a standard dimmer already in place then there should not be a problem. If there is just a two way switch then check that the back box space is deep enough to fit in a dimmer switch. If you have normal pendants then the load can be the 250W dimmers so they should fit in a 25mm back box, some of the more higher powered dimmers need a 35mm back box to allow heat dissipation.

Some dimmers come with a spacer plate that holds the dimmer 10mm away from the wall to allow the dimmer to fit in a small back box, but this does tend to look a bit poor.

 

[Resu]

They just have normal pendants with normal lamps? So realistically shouldn't be hard to do, what's these like to wire up?
Sorry about the silly questions, still early days of my apprenticeship

Should be fine then. There is an instruction manual on the link I posted with a wiring diagram if you are stuck.

Most dimmer switches will have the capability to be wired into two way switching so long as there is only one dimmer for that light.
The dimmers wire up the same as with a standard two way switch but the terminals all tend to be at the top of the switch (and rather small!).
The terminals are usually labelled L1 L2 and C, though there are variations.

If there is a standard dimmer already in place then there should not be a problem. If there is just a two way switch then check that the back box space is deep enough to fit in a dimmer switch. If you have normal pendants then the load can be the 250W dimmers so they should fit in a 25mm back box, some of the more higher powered dimmers need a 35mm back box to allow heat dissipation.

Some dimmers come with a spacer plate that holds the dimmer 10mm away from the wall to allow the dimmer to fit in a small back box, but this does tend to look a bit poor.

He says there is a dimmer to be fitted at each end of the 2-way, I was under the impression the conventional type wouldn't work in this setup? (Might be wrong though!).

Good call on the backbox!

 

[Richard Burns]

For a dimmer fitted at each end of the two way lighting then you would have to use remote dimmers or master and slave dimmers, normal dimmers will not work.
I was going by the a "normal switch should be fine" which is where I have said so long as there is only one dimmer for that light.