Need some help ASAP..

[frozenecho]

Hello,

Ok.. I will try to explain this and hope for the best when it comes to getting a response. I will read the responses and get any and all information you might require for me to fix this issue.

In my den there is a light switch at the top of the steps. When you turn it on it controls 3 separate dual plug outlets. Once in the den near the garage door there is a dimmer switch ( the kind with the slider ( up and down ) and under it an left to right on off switch ).

The Dimmer switch actually burnt out and I need to replace it. However, I do not want a stupid dimmer in there. I just want to replace it with an on and off switch where the outlets will basically be on all the time unless I turn off the switch. The switch at the top of the stairs and the one near the garage both need to control the outlets. Obviously opposite one another. So if the switch is on near the garage and the table lamp is plugged into the outlet when I walk up the stairs and turn the light switch in the opposite direction it should turn off the light. I think you get my meaning.

I need to replace this switch ASAP. So any and all information is appreciated. The light switch at the top of the steps has your normal 2 red and a balck along with a green. The light switch was replaced a month ago with one that is rated properly and was wired Identical to what was in there.

The dimmer switch ( problem area ) once pulled from the wall has 2 red wires going into the back of it., along with one black wire. They are all spliced to existing wires in the box. The black wire coming off the dimmer connects to a yellow wire. In addition to those wires that connect to the wires coming out of the switch there are two more black wires in the box capped off and one other set of a yellow wire from the wall to another black wire capped off. Obviously the yellow wires are ground wires as well. Oh yeah off the dimmer is also a green wire which is connected to the box itself I am assuming for grounding as well.

I just want to replace the wiring with a switch. Any suggestions other the get an electrician? What wires can be spliced together so that when adding a regular switch to the mix it equals the 3 I need? Anyone?

 

[BR]

Most posters to this forum are from the UK. (Ireland’s electrics are very similar) The majority of us would know very little about American electrics, which are very different to ours. Light switch controlling three double socket outlets, you would be shot for that here!!

 

[supersparks]

no, yankey sparky will be here shortly, he will be able to advise

 

[yankey-sparky]

no, yankey sparky will be here shortly, he will be able to advise

Hey, I've made a name for myself!

Anyway let's get these colors sorted out first, because what you described is not up to code. I'll be starting with the assumption that you know the difference between hot, neutral, and ground. In the US, ground wires should have green (or striped green and yellow) insulation, neutral wires should be white or pale grey, and hot wires can be any other color. This means that every switch and outlet should have a white wire and different (not green) colored wire hooked up to it. If it is grounded (not everything is), it will also have a green wire.

You made no mention of a white wire in your description. If you don't have a properly colored neutral wire in your installation, do yourself a favor and call an electrician to get it sorted out. What really disturbs me is when you say "obviously the yellow wires are ground wires as well." Ground wires should NEVER be solid yellow, only green or striped green and yellow.

 

[breezer]

yankey sparkey, you should come here more often. this forum needs YOU

 

[paulh53]

As I Used To Remember It
Live = Black
Neutral = White
I Used To Rewire Lots Of American "Theme Park" Rides & "Attractions" That Where Brought Over Here To Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Some Of These Rides Where "Major Attractions" Taking 300a/Phase, 3Ph h
Arn't I a Clever Boy Then

 

[breezer]

Arn't I a Clever Boy Then

tell you what grab hold of a phase in each hand, that will be a major attraction
THIS is ENGLISH homour and should NEVER be done

 

[yankey-sparky]

As I Used To Remember It
Live = Black
Neutral = White
I Used To Rewire Lots Of American "Theme Park" Rides & "Attractions" That Where Brought Over Here To Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Some Of These Rides Where "Major Attractions" Taking 300a/Phase, 3Ph

Wow! That's a LOT of juice! What was the phase to phase voltage?

Anyway I'm an electrical engineer in a factory, and I deal with three phase all the time. Usually for short runs, such as a circuit breaker to a motor starter that are both in the same electrical panel, we'll just run plain black wire. But when the run is over any significant distance, or through conduit, we'll run the three phases in different colors so we can tell them apart.

The only restriction is the reserved colors of white and green for neutral and ground respectively, which is what is concerning me about the original post. Fun Fact: In the US, there's a color blindness test required for electricians.

By the way, BR mentioned that you can't run three double sockets off a light switch in the UK. Can anyone be more specific about the restriction?

 

[breezer]

phase to phase 415v

you can not have any sockets on a lighting circuit (you would call a socket an outlet, i think)

we also have a ring for our sockets 2x 2.5mm twin and earth cable, as many sockets as you can fit , so long as floor space does not exceed 100m square

also unlike America our "plugs" have an internal fuse

 

[paulh53]

Wow! That's a LOT of juice! What was the phase to phase voltage?

400v Phase To Phase, (It Used To Be 415v),

We Used To Often Run 200 Metre Lengths Of 300mm2 4 Core SWA Cable From Our 400v/9000a (3.6MW) Capacity Substation To Rides That Where Scattered All Over a One Square Mile Theme Park,

Doing a Tradesmans Job On a "Theme Park" Requires a Lot More Regulations Than The 16th Edition, Because It's Dealing With The General Public On a Mass Scale, The Knowledge You Had To Have Is Almost Scary,
But "The Eye Candy" Is Well Worth It

 

[paulh53]

you can not have any sockets on a lighting circuit

What About 2a Clock Connectors?

 

[breezer]

what about them? thats a clock connector , not a socket

 

[paulh53]

It's Still a Socket, And They Are Still Connected To Lighting Circuits

 

[hsiboy]

you can not have any sockets on a lighting circuit

What About 2a Clock Connectors?

not to mention round pin "lamp" sockets. (and i dont mean 15amp rubbers as used by our theatrical sparks).

Stuart.