Discuss How to wire a 4 gang dimmer for track lighting in the DIY Electrical Advice area at ElectriciansForums.net

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I just can't get my head around wiring up this switch.
This (see image) is a 4 gang 1 way dimmer switch for LED lighting.
3 of the buttons are to control a 3 circuit track light. (The fourth button is for a separate light we can leave out of this problem for now.)
From the 3 circuit track light I have a 5 core cable. So that's E N L1 L2 L3
So a few questions;
How does the 3 core mains wire into this switch?
How does the 5 core for the lights wire out of the switch?
Also there's no earth terminal on the switch unit, how does that connect up?

Many thanks.

How to wire a 4 gang dimmer for track lighting IMG_20181209_165957 - EletriciansForums.net
 
Where are you installing this, you state you have no electrical qualifications.
 
If the grid which the switches are fitted to is metal it should have an earth terminal, if not then I would not use it. If you only have one track you only need one switch but the problem is those switches only have two outputs not three and I stand to be corrected but they are not dimmer switches.
 
Rethink, do you have four of those switches or just the two in the pic.
 
I think you've bought a turkey there. It should come with installation instructions. Even your bog standard one-way single gang plastic light switches come with instructions.

Return to sender!
 
I agree normally the metal casing should have an earth terminal, there's no sign of one here, but the lights have an earth.

The switch is a touch dimmer from I-Lumos, touch on/off, touch-hold dim up/down.

It does come with "instructions", but it's a general guide for the whole range, but not one that suits my particular installation, otherwise I wouldn't be here posting for help.

How to wire a 4 gang dimmer for track lighting IMG_20181209_181527 - EletriciansForums.net
 
Is the actual front plate plastic.
 
Supply live into the L of one switch with a link to the other Ls of the other switches. The L1, L2 and L3 from the track into each of the L1 of the switches if you are using three of the switches. The N from the track connected to the supply neutral preferably into a Wago connector. Earths the same as the neutrals unless the back box is metal which should have a terminal for them.
 
I would not personally fit anything which does not have complete instructions. While it is true that it would be entirely logical to assume/guess that the supply live goes to L and the switch out goes from L1 L2 L3 respectively guessing is not what we do in installation. You must insist on full instructions which clearly show with diagrams and a full explanation as to how it is wired. To offer you a guess however well educated it may be will not be fair to you as no one can be 100% sure it is correct without some evidence. If something went wrong.....what then?
 
I would not personally fit anything which does not have complete instructions. While it is true that it would be entirely logical to assume/guess that the supply live goes to L and the switch out goes from L1 L2 L3 respectively guessing is not what we do in installation. You must insist on full instructions which clearly show with diagrams and a full explanation as to how it is wired. To offer you a guess however well educated it may be will not be fair to you as no one can be 100% sure it is correct without some evidence. If something went wrong.....what then?
If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck it probably is a duck.
 
and if it looks like ----, smells like ----, and tastes like ----, it probably is ----.
 
I completely agree with you that ducks are ducks and stars are stars gents. Still I want the manufacturers instructions and follow them and install as they have indicated. Then I know that any liability can only be on the part of the manufacturer and I would have a legal basis to take an action. Of course if I went into court and told them well it looked like a duck/**** and it smelt like a duck/**** and it tasted a bit more like a chicken/**** I get the feeling that may not work as a defense. However each to his own I just like the liability always tipping away from me to say the manufacturer in this case. No chinks in the armour is my outlook.
 

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