another electrical question for the sparkies in the house
#1
another electrical question for the sparkies in the house
Yeah it should be in the DIY section I know
Parents have a new house and the previous owners have these god awful ceiling halogen spotlights. Two rows of 4. One wall switch.
They are soooooooo bright that we wanted to change the switch for a dimmer but for the love of me cant work it out.
Two twin core cables coming out the socket. Both with earth, live (brown) and two blue (neutral). Existing switch has live going into L1 and Com , blue are in a choc block. Think the lights are mains so tried to fit a dimmer but if we replace the wires like for like , the lights are on or off, no dimming.
However if we try to use the neutral (blue) wires, the fuse just trips. Switch is rated for 400W.
Is is a case that a) the incorrect dimmer switch b) wiring wrong or c) we are numpties ( i favour the last option )
The switch purchased was this
http://www.diy.com/departments/holde.../940211_BQ.prd
Parents have a new house and the previous owners have these god awful ceiling halogen spotlights. Two rows of 4. One wall switch.
They are soooooooo bright that we wanted to change the switch for a dimmer but for the love of me cant work it out.
Two twin core cables coming out the socket. Both with earth, live (brown) and two blue (neutral). Existing switch has live going into L1 and Com , blue are in a choc block. Think the lights are mains so tried to fit a dimmer but if we replace the wires like for like , the lights are on or off, no dimming.
However if we try to use the neutral (blue) wires, the fuse just trips. Switch is rated for 400W.
Is is a case that a) the incorrect dimmer switch b) wiring wrong or c) we are numpties ( i favour the last option )
The switch purchased was this
http://www.diy.com/departments/holde.../940211_BQ.prd
#5
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Not all lamps are dimmable including LEDs. Sounds like the blue is a neutral. Are the spot lights mains 230v gu10 lamp or 12v mr16 lamps. Get a pic up of the switch, lamps used and the lights.
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#8
Originally Posted by b3nmw
Not all lamps are dimmable including LEDs. Sounds like the blue is a neutral. Are the spot lights mains 230v gu10 lamp or 12v mr16 lamps. Get a pic up of the switch, lamps used and the lights.
I have a feeling given some of the replies on here that the transformers in the ceiling are the non dimmer type and so we might be battling against the odds
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If it's 12 v then like mentioned not all are dimmable, the transformer. Might be just better off getting a few new fittings with some LEDs, dimmable ones though
#10
I think either job requires access into the ceiling space and could be a big job
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It will trip, as that sounds like a broken live switch, the neutral needs to remain joined.
If you pull the fittings out of the ceiling, you'll know if they're mains or 12V, mains will have one/two lengths of 1.5mm twin and earth terminated on them, 12V will have a far smaller cable going to it attached to a transformer.
If you pull the fittings out of the ceiling, you'll know if they're mains or 12V, mains will have one/two lengths of 1.5mm twin and earth terminated on them, 12V will have a far smaller cable going to it attached to a transformer.
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scottydouk
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17 April 2016 09:48 AM