How do you wire a 2 way dimmer switch?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Down. Then attach the two traveler wires from the switch which are often read to the two traveler wires from the house and add wire nuts.

What does L1 and L2 mean on a dimmer switch?





Dimmers look slightly different to standard switches being much more chunky. They usually come supplied with a common(C), Line out(L1) and Line out(L2) terminals similarly to a two way switch. Sometimes all three terminals are in a row.

What wire goes to L1 and L2?

The yellow wire goes into the common terminal, red goes into the L1 terminal and blue goes into the L2 terminal. The grey wire goes in the common terminal, the brown wire goes in the L1 terminal and the black wire goes in the L2 terminal. You can switch on or off the light from 2 different locations.

How do I wire a 2 way switch with 2 wires?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: We therefore take the live wire and divert this into the common terminal or switch one we run another wire from the common terminal or switch to and connect this to the lamp.

Can dimmer switches be 2 way?

Rotary on/off dimmers are only suitable for 1-way circuits. If you have a 2-way circuit (where the same lights are controlled by two switches) you must choose a push-on/push-off dimmer and replace one of the switches with that dimmer. You can only use one push-on/push-off dimmer in a 2-way circuit.

How are dimmer switches wired?





New dimmers have either a green grounding wire or a green ground screw that you’ll have to connect to a grounding source if one is available. Houses wired with plastic-sheathed cable almost always have bare copper ground wires that you’ll connect to the toggle dimmer switch.

What Colour wire goes in L2?

US AC power circuit wiring color codes

Function label Color, common
Neutral N white
Line, single phase L black or red (2nd hot)
Line, 3-phase L1 black
Line, 3-phase L2 red

Does the black wire go to L1 or L2?

The incoming circuit wires that provide the power are referred to as the line wires. L1 (line 1) is a red wire and L2 (line 2) is a black wire.

Is L1 and L2 the same as 1 way and 2 way?

A two way switch (for switching a light from two different locations like in a hallway) has a common (C) a L1 and an L2 terminal. L1 is off when L2 is on and vice versa depending on the switch position. You can use a two way switch for one way switching. Just ignore the L2 terminal.

What is the common wire on a 2 way switch?



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.

Does it matter which wire goes where on a light switch?

In the case of a single-pole switch, these wires are interchangeable—it doesn’t make any difference which wire is attached to which screw terminal. Inside the switch is a metal pathway that closes when the switch is in the ON position and opens to interrupt the flow of power when the switch is turned OFF.

What happens if you wire a light switch backwards?

When an outlet is wired in reverse, the hot wire is now on the supposed neutral side. So, if you were to plug in the same lamp as noted above, the lamp socket would have power even if the switch was off since the switch is only on the hot side.

How do you know if a light switch is wired correctly?



Single-pole switch: Clip the wire of a continuity tester to one of the screw terminals, and touch the other terminal with the tester probe. Turn the switch lever on and off. The tester should light up when the switch lever is in the on position but should not light up when the switch lever is off.

Which wire is hot on switch?

black wire

Here’s a rundown of electrical wires: The black wire is the “hot” wire, it carries the electricity from the breaker panel into the switch or light source. The white wire is the “neutral” wire, it takes any unused electricity and current and sends it back to the breaker panel.

Can wiring a light switch wrong cause a fire?

Over time, wires will degrade, which causes them to become a little more loose, especially around the connection. This can increase contact resistance which causes more current to build up, generating a lot more heat than the parts are designed to withstand. This heat could cause a fire, but it’s very rare.

Why does my light switch have two black wires?



STEP 3: Identify the terminal and ground wires.



Observe the layout of the wires. You should see two black wires, each connecting to a different screw on the side of the switch. These are called terminal screws. You will also see two white (neutral) wires that connect to one another in the box.

What is red wire for in light switch?

What are Red Wires? Red wires are usually used as secondary hot wires. Red wires are also hot and should be clearly marked to avoid the dangers of electrocution. Red wires are commonly used when installing ceiling fans, where the light switch maybe.

What happens if hot and neutral wires touch?

A short circuit happens when a “hot” wire (black) touches another hot wire or touches a “neutral” wire (white) in one of your outlets. When these two wires touch, a large amount of current flows, creating more heat than the circuit can handle, so it shuts off.

Can you touch the neutral wire without getting shocked?

Now, we know that neutral is always connected to the ground or earth. So when touching the neutral wire standing on the ground there is no voltage applied to our body, therefore no current flow through our body and we do not get the electric shock.

What happens if black and red wires touch?



In the US or Canada, you will probably find 240 volts between the red and black wires, but 120 volts from either one to the white (neutral) wire. DO NOT TOUCH AC POWER WIRES WITH YOUR HANDS!! A 120 Volt or 240 Volt shock can cause serious injury!