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Electrical Wiring of Household switch...

V

vrrr

Hi,

Can somebody help me - Currently I have an on/off light switch wired as
follows:

1 Red lead -> hole 1
2 Red leads -> hole C
3 Black leads -> hole Loop
and nothing is connected to hole 2.

I bought a dimmer switch from Bunnings and am having trouble wiring it up.
From what I understand I move the 1 Red lead currently connected to hole 1
in the on/off switch to hole 1 in the dimmer. Then I connect the 3 Black
Leads from the on/off switch to the Loop hole in the dimmer along with the
output from the dimmer device.

But then where do I put the 2 Red leads currently connected to hole C? The
dimmer has a red wire coming from the dimmer itself to hole C...

Do I have to leave the old switch behind the wall with just the 2 Red leads
connected to hole C? Im guessing the 2 Red leads to hole C are permanently
on and not affected by the on/off switch?

Is this right?
 
K

KLR

Hi,

Can somebody help me - Currently I have an on/off light switch wired as
follows:

1 Red lead -> hole 1
2 Red leads -> hole C
3 Black leads -> hole Loop
and nothing is connected to hole 2.

I bought a dimmer switch from Bunnings and am having trouble wiring it up.
From what I understand I move the 1 Red lead currently connected to hole 1
in the on/off switch to hole 1 in the dimmer. Then I connect the 3 Black
Leads from the on/off switch to the Loop hole in the dimmer along with the
output from the dimmer device.

But then where do I put the 2 Red leads currently connected to hole C? The
dimmer has a red wire coming from the dimmer itself to hole C...

Do I have to leave the old switch behind the wall with just the 2 Red leads
connected to hole C? Im guessing the 2 Red leads to hole C are permanently
on and not affected by the on/off switch?

Is this right?
the black wires should be joined to each other and make no connection
to any active part of the dimmer (they can go into a "loop" hole
though, but make SURE it is a loop hole and not internally connected
to any part of the switch in either position.If unsure of this - go and buy a "single screw insulated joiner" and
use this to connect the black wires to each other, rather than using
spare terminals in the switch assembly.

--------------------

The 2 reds are the "always live" actives to the switch, the single red
is the active that comes from the switch and goes up to the light bulb


A---switch--->--DIMMER module---> A (to light)
2 reds one red


Unless you are absolutely sure of what you are doing - get in an
electrician to deal with this.
 
V

vrrr

thankyou KLR, that made perfect sense and I managed to get everything
working a-ok.

Cheers
 
W

Wearsya Bean Hiding

vrrr said:
Hi,

Can somebody help me

You are not allowed to do this.
You need to be an electrician.

- Currently I have an on/off light switch wired as follows:

1 Red lead -> hole 1
2 Red leads -> hole C
3 Black leads -> hole Loop
and nothing is connected to hole 2.


So actually you have "loop" configuration. There are two switches for that
one light ?

loop and dimmer is NOT COMPATIBLE.
I bought a dimmer switch from Bunnings and am having trouble wiring it up.

You have trouble getting your electricians license ? well get someone with
an electricians license. No more trouble.

From what I understand I move the 1 Red lead currently connected to hole 1
in the on/off switch to hole 1 in the dimmer. Then I connect the 3 Black
Leads from the on/off switch to the Loop hole in the dimmer along with the
output from the dimmer device.

But then where do I put the 2 Red leads currently connected to hole C? The
dimmer has a red wire coming from the dimmer itself to hole C...

Do I have to leave the old switch behind the wall with just the 2 Red
leads connected to hole C? Im guessing the 2 Red leads to hole C are
permanently on and not affected by the on/off switch?

Is this right?

You are dangerous.
 
W

Wearsya Bean Hiding

vrrr said:
Hi,

Can somebody help me - Currently I have an on/off light switch wired as
follows:

1 Red lead -> hole 1
2 Red leads -> hole C
3 Black leads -> hole Loop
and nothing is connected to hole 2.


ok, I see the picture now.

The reason there is two red leads is that is "ACTIVE" supply.

The supply cable runs to there and past. So instead of using a junction box
they just cut the supply cable and join the two cut ends in the one
terminal of the switch, which also joins that terminal onto the Active
cable, right ?


The reason there is three black wires is that is Neutral from the supply
cable upstream, and one from the downstream supply cable (going off to some
other light switch or something) and one running up the light fitting.


The reason the three black wires is in loop is that its spare (IN THIS
USE).


The switch then switches the two red leads onto the one red lead.


I bought a dimmer switch from Bunnings and am having trouble wiring it up.
From what I understand I move the 1 Red lead currently connected to hole 1
in the on/off switch to hole 1 in the dimmer.


yep, '1' is for the active cable running to the light.


Then I connect the 3 Black Leads from the on/off switch to the Loop hole in
the dimmer along with the output from the dimmer device.

yep, that keeps them joined together and safe from short circuiting, thats
all.

But then where do I put the 2 Red leads currently connected to hole C? The
dimmer has a red wire coming from the dimmer itself to hole C...


The red leads go to the dimmer's other terminal.

supply > dimmer > switch > light

Probably turn the reds around

Suply > switch > dimmer > light.



Do I have to leave the old switch behind the wall with just the 2 Red
leads connected to hole C?

No.



Im guessing the 2 Red leads to hole C are permanently
on and not affected by the on/off switch?


Right. One of the two reds from the power distrubition point on the house,
the other continues onto other light switches.


Is this right?


The two red leads
 
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