Double Dimmer Switch Help Needed

[gaz1970]

Hi everyone.

I have just replaced two standard switches in my house with two dimmer switches.

A double dimmer in the hallway that operates the hall light and the upstairs landing light.

A second single dimmer switch upstairs that operates the landing light only.

I just copied the wiring but something has gone wrong. The downstairs dimmer operates fine, but the upstairs light when turned on flickers on a low light, as if there is not enough power getting to it ?.

The wiring in the hall on the double dimmer is as follows.

Two grey cables coming out the wall, one going to "common" on one side of the dimmer and the other grey cable going to L2 on the other side of the dimmer.

There is also small grey cable that bridges both of the commons.

Then there is a red cable in L2 and a black cable in L1

With this the downstairs works fine. The upstairs works but flickers on a very low light as explained.

The upstairs single dimmer has a grey wire into common and a red wire in L2 and a black wire into L1.


I thought I messed up somewhere so in the upstairs one I put the red wire in common along with the grey wire. The downstairs dimmer switch then operated both lights perfectly, but the upstairs switch did nothing at all ????

At this point I thought I had better get some help, Which would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SJD]

You can only use one standard (push or rotary) dimmer per circuit. It sounds like you have 2 dimmers in series for the upstairs lights, hence the effects you are seeing. If you really need dimming control at both points for the upstairs light, then you need to look at alternatives such as remote-controlled dimmers.

 

[gaz1970]

You can only use one standard (push or rotary) dimmer per circuit. It sounds like you have 2 dimmers in series for the upstairs lights, hence the effects you are seeing. If you really need dimming control at both points for the upstairs light, then you need to look at alternatives such as remote-controlled dimmers.

Thank you. I don't need dimming at both ends. So if I replace the upstairs dimmer with a standard switch will this solve the flickering problem ? Is my wiring correct ?

 

[SJD]

Replace the upstairs dimmer with a standard switch, wired as it was originally (which assuming that was correct, will again be correct).

 

[telectrix]

as above. however, there are dimmers available where you can have 2 dimmers on 1 light, but i can't remember what make.