Hello there,
I am rewiring a metal dimmer switch after redecorating; before decorating there was no earth cable between
the cable from the wall and the earth terminal on the dimmer. The lighting circuit is protected by a RCD but as I understand it a metal dimmer switch is class 1 so should be connected to an earth cable.
So, after decorating I have connected an earth cable between the wall cable and the earth terminal on the dimmer, however when I use a multimeter to measure voltage I get the following readings:
Dimmer Switched On:
Dimmer Switched Off:
Can anyone give me the layman's explanation of what's going on here ? I would have though there would be 240v when I put the
multimeter terminals between neutral and live whether the switch was on or not; and I thought only a few volts would be present between the metal dimmer body and neutral is 74 volts safe/normal ?
TIA.
John.
I am rewiring a metal dimmer switch after redecorating; before decorating there was no earth cable between
the cable from the wall and the earth terminal on the dimmer. The lighting circuit is protected by a RCD but as I understand it a metal dimmer switch is class 1 so should be connected to an earth cable.
So, after decorating I have connected an earth cable between the wall cable and the earth terminal on the dimmer, however when I use a multimeter to measure voltage I get the following readings:
Dimmer Switched On:
- Metal Body of dimmer / neutral wire = 74 volts
- Metal Body of dimmer / live wire = 74 volts
- neutral wire / live wire = 0 volts
Dimmer Switched Off:
- Metal Body of dimmer / neutral wire = 74 volts
- Metal Body of dimmer / live wire = 74 volts
- neutral wire / live wire = 240 volts
Can anyone give me the layman's explanation of what's going on here ? I would have though there would be 240v when I put the
multimeter terminals between neutral and live whether the switch was on or not; and I thought only a few volts would be present between the metal dimmer body and neutral is 74 volts safe/normal ?
TIA.
John.