Dimmer Circuit with Switch Wiring Question

[Thayne]

Can someone please help me wire this circuit? This is working with mains power and I do not feel comfortable doing this without some knowledgeable help.
The dimmer circuit is store bought. It has two black wires coming out of it. One of them is already wired to the toggle switch. The toggle switch is wired Blue wire, Black wire in the center, Purple wire.
The 120VAC supply is the small Brown and Blue wires. The outlet, where the lamp plugs in, has two Blue wires.

Thank You



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This is my best attempt to do this right. Can someone please check it for me?

Thank You

 

[Thayne]

I should add here that those "connections" are not real connections -- that is just the wires touching each other to show where it would be connected (soldered).

 

[d123]

Hi,

No idea, blue conventionally neutral and brown single phase live. Black is conventionally used for two and three-phase. As guessing from photos and second-guessing manufacturer wire colour choices is silly and irresponsible, I strongly suggest you look for the wiring diagrams or numeration that should be on the packaging/devices themselves/provided by the manufacturer/vendor somewhere.

P.S. Picture #2: Hmmmm, niiiice invisible PCB to hold parts with flimsy wires in place . Safe, if never shaken or dropped.

 

[barry]

You actually bought this? It looks like it was assembled by a pre-schooler. I'd be very suspicious of this entire endeavor.

 

[Thayne]

Hi,

No idea, blue conventionally neutral and brown single phase live. Black is conventionally used for two and three-phase. As guessing from photos and second-guessing manufacturer wire colour choices is silly and irresponsible, I strongly suggest you look for the wiring diagrams or numeration that should be on the packaging/devices themselves/provided by the manufacturer/vendor somewhere.

P.S. Picture #2: Hmmmm, niiiice invisible PCB to hold parts with flimsy wires in place . Safe, if never shaken or dropped.

There are no diagrams for anything. The colors of the wire mean nothing in this case (this is Brazil, I've seen paperclips and twist ties used in place of wire, so...).

It is a store bought dimmer with two wires coming out. It was made to go where a wall switch for a light goes.
There is a toggle switch, AC supply coming in, and a socket for plugging something into it. I just need to connect them together.

I don't know what you mean about this "invisible PCB". That is a dimmer switch bought in the USA at an electrical supply house. They all look like this inside the box if you open them. I did not make that piece, or alter it in any way.

Thank You!

 

[betwixt]

Technically - it's a standard phase control triac dimmer circuit.
Mechanically - it's an accident waiting to happen and very dangerous.

The blue and purple wires are just a change-over switch, maybe to control one of two lights, the rocker switch decides which, or, it could be to allow it to be mounted the other way up with the switch action reversed. The black wire is common to which ever you choose.

If you must use it, black is the neutral line to the mains supply and the lamp(s) go in either of the blue or purple then the other side of the lamp goes to the live side of the mains supply. If you are using only only one lamp, use the blue OR the purple and insulate the other so it can't touch anything else. It unit goes in series with the lamp so only two wires are actually needed.

I would be VERY cautious about safety though, the construction is horrible and it looks like the triac is held down with sticky pads so overloading it will result in heat and the pad losing grip.

Brian.

 

[Thayne]

You actually bought this? It looks like it was assembled by a pre-schooler. I'd be very suspicious of this entire endeavor.

I did not buy this, I am trying to fix something for my wife and her lab. I thought someone would know how to help me.

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Technically - it's a standard phase control triac dimmer circuit.
Mechanically - it's an accident waiting to happen and very dangerous.

The blue and purple wires are just a change-over switch, maybe to control one of two lights, the rocker switch decides which, or, it could be to allow it to be mounted the other way up with the switch action reversed. The black wire is common to which ever you choose.

If you must use it, black is the neutral line to the mains supply and the lamp(s) go in either of the blue or purple then the other side of the lamp goes to the live side of the mains supply. If you are using only only one lamp, use the blue OR the purple and insulate the other so it can't touch anything else. It unit goes in series with the lamp so only two wires are actually needed.

I would be VERY cautious about safety though, the construction is horrible and it looks like the triac is held down with sticky pads so overloading it will result in heat and the pad losing grip.

Brian.

Yes, THANK YOU. Actually, the entire dimmer circuit is factory made. The TRIAC is "free-floating" as it was in the plastic box it came in. This is Not my design at all. The rubber pads are there to prevent the TRIAC from contacting the aluminum front plate.

Thank You! I really appreciate the help -- truly. This is for my wife's lab. If you think this is bad, you should see some of the other equipment. I am surprised no one has died yet.

(Side note: I think people assume it is going back together the way it is pictured, maybe with some electrical tape, or some hack job. This is not the case. I am going to clean it up, label and trim the wires down to length and solder and insulate everything very well. It is only shown all open with wires and parts hanging out, because I wanted people to be able to see all the components. If everything was wrapped and insulated, there would be no way to see what it is.)

 

[betwixt]

I don't know which factory made it but if i did I wouldn't get anything else from them!

The metal tab on the triac (with the screw through it) is usually internally connected to the middle pin, if it is on that triac, the screw will be live so don't attach it to the front plate whatever you do!

I think if you wire it:
Neutral --> BLACK [Dimmer] BLUE --> [Lamp] --> Live
it should work. Swap blue and purple to reverse the rocker switch action. The normal warnings should be observed, insulate it well, only use incandescent lamps or dimmable LED lamps as the load and ideally, add a fuse in line as well.

Brian.

 

[FvM]

You didn't tell about the purpose of using a toggle switch. As presently wired, it has a seemingly useless connection in the off position, but should work.

If one terminal of the switch is for a neon indicator lamp, you should tell which.

 

[Thayne]

Thank you guys for helping me. I know this dimmer circuit looks like junk, but I did not build any of, I am just connecting wires. The dimmer circuit was made by LUTRON. It came in a black plastic box for mounting in a wall. The TRIAC was riveted to the aluminum front plate. I ground off the rivet to remove it. I put it in a new box, added aluminum heat sinks and isolated it from the front plate with two layers of rubber padding. See the pics.



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I don't know which factory made it but if i did I wouldn't get anything else from them!

The metal tab on the triac (with the screw through it) is usually internally connected to the middle pin, if it is on that triac, the screw will be live so don't attach it to the front plate whatever you do!

I think if you wire it:
Neutral --> BLACK [Dimmer] BLUE --> [Lamp] --> Live
it should work. Swap blue and purple to reverse the rocker switch action. The normal warnings should be observed, insulate it well, only use incandescent lamps or dimmable LED lamps as the load and ideally, add a fuse in line as well.

Brian.

So, based on what you wrote, if I understood correctly, this is how I wired it. The blue wire hanging off the lighted rocker switch will be insulated, not hanging like that. I am going to add a fuse tomorrow.

It is hard to see in the pic, the Brown incoming 120VAC to the Purple rocker switch is the far right tab looking at the switch from the connection side (back). The Black wire is the center tab of the rocker switch and goes into the dimmer circuit.

Hopefully, I got this right.