Dimmer Switch

[Banburyuser]

My lounge lights can be switched on from both the lounge (dimmer switch) and dining room (ordinary switch). The dimmer switch has stopped working properly so we replaced it with a new one - it worked fine. Unfortunately though, when I now try to switch on the lights from the dining room it will not work. Is there a logical explanation for this?

Thanks!

[burnhal]

Theoretically it shouldnt have made any difference- but it all depends greatly on how the system was wired in the first place- how many wires, and of what colour, went to the original dimmer switch? I would hazard a guess that the supply to the switch in the dining room was picked up from the input to the original dimmer switch- and now you have connected it to the output side! If that doesn't make sense to you then maybe ask someone who understands electrics!

[woodchopper]

Me thinks you have mixed a couple of wires up -
If I remember correct your is circuit is made up like this -
Your live from the ceiling rose /light fitting goes into the COM terminal of your light switch - there should be another two reds either in separate or twin red and earth cable going from L1 and L2 into L1and L2 of the dimmer switch and then a single red going from the COM terminal of the dimmer switch back to the switch side in the ceiling rose that actually supplies the light fitting.
Wait for someone else to confirm this before trying to fix it .

[woodchopper]

Forgot to say - there are possibly more variations of the above circuit - if in doubt play it safe, get a spark in.

[tracerfire]

Woodchopper is right; if in doubt, get an expert (but it can be pricey). Fortunately in the way these things are usually wired it is difficult to do any damage; all that happens is suff doesn't work how it should (as you've found out). There's a diagram here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch#Two_locati ons
which may help. Take care.

[knobbynonuts]

is your new dimmer switch a two way one....

[knobbynonuts]

and would just like to say here that none of the answers on here have come from people that think they know what they are talking about but just have a little knowlegde about electrics that an electrician knows apart from me

[knobbynonuts]

did I say that right......