Upgrading a double Gang light switch to Lightwave “Smart Dimmer (2 Gang)”

[Mazzatoni]

Good evening

I have recently moved house and began to upgrade light switches and mains sockets to the light wave smart socket/switches

Wanted some advice to upgrade my 2 gang light switch

It is located in the living room and controls the living room and landing lights

The landing light can also be controlled by a one gang light switch on the landing

I have attached photos and just need clarification of connecting as I have 5 wires in old switch and the new switch only needs 3/4 wires in

Old switch:

L1 red
L2 yellow
L3 blue

And below it

L1 red
L2 black
L3 empty

New Lightwave switch:

Switch line wire out
Line wire in
Neutral wire in
Switch line wire out

If it is the wrong light switch or it cannot be installed please let me know and I can return it

Many thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

Sorry to be pedantic but that is a light switch. A socket is a different device.
A bit like the difference between a bicycle and a car.

To return to the basic issue. I guess that your house has two or more lighting circuits. Usually for up and downstairs. If that is the case then that one switch will not work as there is only one live connection and can’t accommodate connections ftom separate circuits.
Further. The Lightwave needs a neutral and your switch does not have one at the switch!

Sorry there’s no simple answer. It is just possible to use the Lightwave product but it would involve substantial re-engineering of your lighting circuits, possibly some additional cables and you would need additional Lightwave product(s) at the other end of the landing circuit.

 

[Mazzatoni]

Many thanks

Perhaps I can isolate 3 of the wires for “landing” light and just install a 1 gang light wave switch just to control the living room light?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Many thanks

Perhaps I can isolate 3 of the wires for “landing” light and just install a 1 gang light wave switch just to control the living room light?

Well, you could but...... You just can't "isolate" those three wires or the landing light wont work at all. You would need to connect the red to the blue or the yellow and insulate the one you don't use.
BUT
The only place that you'll be able to turn the landing light on and off will be by the switch on the landing. That means, at night, you'll have to walk up the stairs in the dark, and you'll soon get fed up as every time you go downstairs you'll realise that you've left the landing light on.
Hardly worth the effort, IMO

Unfortunately the way your house (and most in the uk) lighting circuits are wired do not make things easy for the smart generation.

 

[ericmark]

Are you looking for the dimming feature or the smart feature, if only the latter than a smart relay at the light, if the dimming wanted then smart bulb are the answer.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Are you looking for the dimming feature or the smart feature, if only the latter than a smart relay at the light, if the dimming wanted then smart build are the answer.

What is a smart build?

 

[ericmark]

Typo error smart bulb it should have said.

 

[AndyPRK]

www.lightwaverf.com


Listen to the first video here:

Video Installation Guides

Please check out our library of installation videos below

support.lightwaverf.com

It says, if you are presented with 2 way switching, Com L1 L2. Our Dimmers simplify this to live in and live out,
Check support pages on the website or contact our support pages. or get in touch with a lightwave pro (see our map)

If they aren't going to tell you how on the website, I doubt you can use it.

 

[AndyPRK]

I don't know why you want one of these on a stair case .

But it says you need a Slave dimmer upstairs

CONNECT SERIES - How do I wire 2-way/Multiway dimmers using masters and slaves?

Our connect series dimmers come in 2 different versions - Masters and Slaves. 3 and 4 gang dimmers only come in a master option but can still be connected to slave dimmers in 1 and 2 gang In any case

support.lightwaverf.com

is says

In any case when wiring 2-way or multiway dimmers there MUST only ever be one master dimmer and all other connected dimmers to the same circuit MUST be slave versions.

2-way and Multiway switching will not work if a master is connected to master dimmer with 3 core wiring.

You can have 5 Slaves wired in multiway switching to 1 Master dimmer

2-way switching involves the switching of one light circuit from more than one location (e.g. hall and landing). It requires one Lightwave dimmer and up to 6 Lightwave 2-way dimmers. Each requires power and a direct connection between the S terminals on each device (do not insert the live into the S terminal).

In a standard 2-way switching arrangement, you may find that there is an L1 and L2 cable used. This is used to switch mains power between one of these cables, so that either light switch can control the lights. Lightwave does not require this. We can use one of these cables to directly carry a low voltage signal between the Master and Slave unit. You may find that your cables are coloured differently, but the same theory will apply. You must put the Live from the ring main into the L terminal, the switched live that goes to the bulb in the 'X' looking symbol and a direct connection from the S terminal to the corresponding S terminal on the Slave.



https://www.downlights.co.uk/faq-wire-light-switch.html

If in any doubt, please consult an electrician as incorrect wiring can have fatal consequences. We are not electricians and legally cannot tell you how to wire your specific installation, but we can advise on where the cables should go.

There are 2 PDFs attached to this article with a diagram for 2 way switching.

Generation 1, 2 way with both intermediate points.pdf

Generation 1, 2 way with one intermediate point.pdf


COM, L1, L2 Terminals :

A one way light switch has two terminals which is a common marked as COM or C. The common is for the live wire that supplies the input voltage to the switch. The other terminal is marked as L1 and is the output to the light fixture.

So the Wire in the COM goes into the L and the wired in the L1 goes into the X terminal. Please do not insert any cables into the middle S terminal.



I guess I'm slightly concerned, they are linking an upstairs and downstairs lighting circuit, but they seam to have thought of this,


You have the version "(With 2 Intermediate Points)"

I would use the blue wire for the ~ terminal
Yellow wire for the S terminal (as they have)

But obviously you need the slave dimmer upstairs


As a temporary measure you could connect the red and yellow wires for the upstairs light together.
Isolate the blue, so it doesn't touch anything.

Then test the product with the downstairs light only, (red L and black ~ wires on right side) and see if it any good, and whether you want to purchase a slave for upstairs