Dimmer Switch Problem - Now with Picture

[Morphit]

Hi Everyone,

I was helping a friend to paint his hall and unscrewed the dimmer switch from the wall to allow painting behind. The dimmer controls the lights, fan and shaver point in his bathroom. When I removed the switch two wires came loose and now he has no lights, fan or shaver point.

Luckily the wires are labeled.

The wires connected are:

L1 - 2 Live Feeds
~ - 1 wire

Loose wires are Fan and Shaver.

All wires are red.

Where should the two loose wires go L1, L2 or ~, it is a push on/off dimmer type switch.

I have a photo see below for link:

http://www.massage.clara.net/indexa.html

Please any ideas.

Regards

Morphit

 

[jj4091]

en

 

[davelx]

 

[Spark123]

My only query is what effect would feeding a chopped sine wave to a fan be as the only way the fan can be switched is from the output of the dimmer switch. I take it that it is a timed fan?
Also, need a strapper from the earth in the back box to the earth terminal on the dimmer switch. Also need a grommet in there too.
The red from shaver socket will connect to the permanent live on the switch, the fan permanent live (red?) to the permanent live, the fan switched live (yellow?) to the switched live, though not sure if it was intended for use with a dimmer switch? The fan switched and permanent lives may also be the other way around i.e. red switched and yellow permanent live, just depends on the mood the installer was in on the day!

 

[Morphit]

Thanks davelx for sorting out my picture.

Regards

Morphit

 

[Morphit]

My only query is what effect would feeding a chopped sine wave to a fan be as the only way the fan can be switched is from the output of the dimmer switch. I take it that it is a timed fan?
Also, need a strapper from the earth in the back box to the earth terminal on the dimmer switch. Also need a grommet in there too.
The red from shaver socket will connect to the permanent live on the switch, the fan permanent live (red?) to the permanent live, the fan switched live (yellow?) to the switched live, though not sure if it was intended for use with a dimmer switch? The fan switched and permanent lives may also be the other way around i.e. red switched and yellow permanent live, just depends on the mood the installer was in on the day!

Thanks Spark123 for your reply to my post.

Yes it is a timed fan.

Can I just clarify your advice.

Red wire from shaver to go into L1
Red wire from fan to go into L1
Attach an earth to front plate

The yellow fan wire I don't think was connected, but if I did should it be in L2?

What is a grommet and where should it go?

Also, can I ask why the lights are not working when only the fan and shaver wires are loose?

Thanks again.

Regards

Morphit

 

[Spark123]

Attach an earth to front plate

Yeah, there should be a loop of earth wire from the back box earth to the front plate earth terminal.

The yellow fan wire I don't think was connected, but if I did should it be in L2?

How is the fan controlled? Do you have a separate switch? either way, the wire should be properly terminated and not left loose behind the switch. A piece of terminal block on the end would be a start if it isn't used.

What is a grommet and where should it go?

The hole on the right hand side where the cables enter the back box has a grommet in it. You should have a similar grommet in the left hand side hole so the cables cannot rub against the sharp metal edge of the back box.

Also, can I ask why the lights are not working when only the fan and shaver wires are loose?

I think you need to identify exactly what each cable entering the switch does, mainly the red wires and yellow wire. Maybe also get rid of the dimmer switch for now and fit a normal switch as I am not 100% happy about a dimmer controlling the timer on a fan.

 

[Morphit]

Thanks spark123

Yes the fan has a pull switch but I think its automatic.

If I do replace the dimmer with a normal switch where do the fan and shaver point wires go, do they go with the live feed wires.

Regards

Morphit