Dimmer trouble

[dazza69]

Hi I'm new to this forum stuff so be gentle. Can anyone tell me why when I put two dimmer switches on either end of a two way lighting circuit the lamps just flicker instead of illuminating as normal?

 

[LukeScotty]

your only meant to put one dimmer on a lighting circuit, due to the way the dimmer works inside (am guessing the windings inside, if someone could explain how they work, that would be great), as your dimming a dimmed light,

I'd leave the more used one in and swap the other, before you damage one of them

 

[wayne]

can you go through how you wired it?

 

[Grae79]

you can get dimmers for 2 way lighting....try TLC Direct..have a pretty good range..or ask in ur local wholesalers...

 

[dazza69]

Yeah thanks. I'm aware of voltage drop at the second dimmer (the one with the switch wire up to the fitting) but couldn't figure out why. If it's due to the internal wiring of the switch then thats that! Looks like we're going back to one standard switch and one dimmer!!! Thanks Guys.

 

[Grae79]

Remote Control Dimmer Switches - White

 

[Shakey]

your only meant to put one dimmer on a lighting circuit, due to the way the dimmer works inside (am guessing the windings inside, if someone could explain how they work, that would be great), as your dimming a dimmed light,

I'd leave the more used one in and swap the other, before you damage one of them

Luke; passive dimmers are rheostats. Think of a big circular resistive winding with a 'wiper' arm on it. The arm 'taps' off the resistance proprtional to where you turn the dimmer so changing the current flow through the lamp and its resultant brightness

Active dimmers do they same through an electronic potential divider circuit

 

[MacSparky]

I had the same problem the other day on a hallway 2 way lighting, dimmer upstairs and downstairs, both were 2 way dimmers and it just flickered unless they were both turned up full. Swapped the downstairs one for a switch and now works fine on 2 way but unfortunately can only dimm it from the upstairs one.
Looks like you cant dimm a dimmer. Hope that helps.