Down Lights flickering

[JohnW2]

OK a switch swaps between two things between two things, be it a switch back (up/down) a set of points (side to side) or a light switch (on/off) so technically a dimmer switch should be called a controller not switch, but in the electrical trade when some thing new comes along we tend to name it after what it has replaced, some times we add another name as well, so electronic transformer replaces a transformer, but my switches do not dim, the only switch on/off, so can't be called a dimmer switch, and since it only turns the lights on/off it really is a switch, even if a very small current flows when off.

I'm not talking about (or interested in) the semantics.

As you say, a dimmer is not a simple switch (but see *** below) in the normal sense (although most dimmers do incorporate a switch) but, as you also say, the industry has come to often call them 'dimmer switches'. In context, the issue is whether or not the 'whatever' puts current through the load when the load is 'switched off' (because 'it does not require a neutral'.).

*** before some pedant jumps in, I suppose one has to accept that the simplest form of dimmer does act, electrically, as a true 'switch', since it repeatedly 'switches' the load ('fully') on and ('fully') off (for varying proportions of a cycle) !

Kind Regards, John

 

[bernardgreen]

Four dimmers in a rack, definitely not a switch

https://www.theatrecrafts.com/archive/control/directoperated/sliderdimmers.html

rheostats rule ( ruled )

 

[lettuce]

So I checked the wiring in the switch and it was all secure. I went into the loft and moved the wires about going to each light and they didn't flicker at all so don't think it's the connections in the lights. Could the actual contacts in the switch be failing and be the cause?

 

[flameport]

Could the actual contacts in the switch be failing and be the cause?

Yes.

Turn off the power, remove the switch from the wall, put both wires into the same terminal.
Power on, if the lights stay on without flickering a new switch is required.
If they still flicker the problem is somewhere else.

 

[ericmark]

@flameport has given good advice, clearly turn off power before working on switch.