UK Light switches (dimmer)?

Question

In my living room I currently have one standard looking, square light switch unit (3 on/off switches) with 3 different sets of lights in the room (ceiling & wall etc). There are no other units controlling any of the lights in the room. Although it all works fine, I want to replace it for 3 dimmer switches (which i can only find in rectangle!!!) on one unit.
Am I right in saying I need a "3 gang" unit??? And how many "ways" am I looking for???

According to one advert I saw, I shouldnt overload or underload the unit (which sounds sensible). How do I know what wattage unit i'm meant to be looking for???

Thanks.... Dont ask much do i !!!

Answer 1

i know this has no help to you but i quickly clicked on this and thought you said UK light sandwiches(dinner) lol

Answer 2

Yes, but you have to make sure you buy CFL bulbs that are labeled as being able to work on dimmers. They have a special dimmable ballast built in. They are expensive though. It would be better to buy the newer LED light bulbs, most of which are completely dimmable on a standard dimmer switch. They are costly too, but getting cheaper all the time. I recently bought several for under $20 US each. They are around the same price as the dimmable CFL's so it would be a reasonable option. I like the LED bulbs a lot. Much less heat output than the CFLs plus they come to full brightness more quickly, have a nice light quality and will last for 10 years or more. I'm a trained lighting consultant so I know what I am talking about (which several other answerers apparently do not.)

Answer 3

There are no 3 gang dimmers made that fit a square box, you will have to change the box to a twin socket size, and 35mm deep. 3 gang dimmers are normally max. 250 watts per gang, though you might be able to locate a 3 x 400watt but it will have a metal plate, brass or chrome or whatever. You will have to add the wattages of the lamps fitted on each circuit to ensure that they do not exceed the dimmer wattage, or search for a heavier rating. You cant 'underload' unless you have less than 60 watts in total per gang! NB you can't dim compact fluorescent type lamps, only mains and low voltage tungsten/halogen. The dimmer that you get will be fitted with 2 way switches, you simply wire them as 1 way by using the C and L1 OR L2 terminals.

Answer 4

Yes you want a 3 gang switch. As you only say that there is one switch in the room that controll the lights you only need one way switch.

You cant you energy saver bulbs with dimmers. They reduce the life of the energy save bulbs. I have had ppl tell me that they use them but you are not ment to.

Just ad up the wattage of bulbs and that will be the load of the dimmer.

Answer 5

You can get 3-gang 2-way dimmer switches (see link below)
The max wattage is usually250W.

You will also need to replace the back box as well to accommodate the switch. This is a 2-gang box (see link).

Do not use flourescent lighting with the dimmers.



http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VL32.html

Answer 6

3-gang is correct - they come as a rectangle because you need the dimmer mechanism under each one, which takes more room than a switch mechanism. One way - they are only 1-way.

Add up your bulbs - e.g. a 5 arm chandelier with 40Watt bulbs is 200W. If a load rating is indicated, remember that
Power (Watts) = Volts (240) x Amps, so Watts divided by 240 = amps. The above chandelier is only drawing under 1 amp current, and a typical UK lighting circuit is rated at 5 amps.

Answer 7

Dimmer switches are only one way and the lights connected to them can't be the new power saving type as all they are, are flourescent lights in miniature.
Each bulb has the wattage on just add up the bulbs of each group of bulbs that switch on together