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Hi out there. I have a problem with a new dimmer switch - I dont know how to wire it! It is two gang each marked L1,L2 & squiggle arrow. I have four wires at the switch. One permanently live, one switched live and the other two go to the second light. The first light works ok but not the second. I assume that I mis-wired the link from the first gang to the second. I would be grateful of advice.

Not quite sure about the wiring ?

Are you replacing a one way switch or a two way switch with the dimmer?

What colours are all the wires?

What do you mean when you say that the other two wires are going to the second light?

Were both cores of the cable going to the other light definitely connected to terminals on the old switch?

If so then either one of them is also a permanent live, or the old switch was part of a 2-way circuit..

Your are quite right - the one live wire was a part of a two way circuit.
What I wanted to do was to replace one light switch (in kitchen) with a dimmer. The two way circuit was in my garage - but this was disconnected by an electrician. The original change worked fine ie the dimmer switch worked correctly. I then had the idea of connecting another light and bought a two gang dimmer - thinking I could loop out another circuit from the live. Manifestly this is not the case. So the other two wires to which I refer are two operate the "second light" - I am rapidly going off this idea.
Tank you for your time in replying


Christo

your idea will not work i am afraid mate, IF you have take a cable from the switch to the new light then unless you have a neutral at the switch which it sounds like you do not then it will not work,Think of the neutral as a drain , when the live has gone through the lamp it has to have a drain to send the current back through. Perhaps if you say the switch was originally a two way you could re organise the cores of the cables to enable a neutral to be present at your two gang switch to enable the light to work correctly.

Nick