How do I wire 2-Way or Multiway dimmers?

🔌 No Wiring Diagrams Required

Lightwave’s multiway switching approach is designed to eliminate the need for complex wiring:

Only one dimmer (the master) is physically wired to the lighting circuit.
All other dimmers function wirelessly and are set up via automation to control the master dimmer.
There is no requirement for three-core wiring between switches.

This modern, wireless-first setup enables a clean, efficient installation process. This configuration does not require the internet to function either; once it has been set up, it just works!

🛠️ Installation Best Practices

Wire dimmers as “1-way” only and configure wireless switching for additional dimmers.
Designate one dimmer channel as the master (connected to the lighting circuit with Permanent Live and Switched Live ).
Always follow standard wiring regulations. If a neutral wire is available, please, connect this up to our dimmers, however, the Neutral is optional

⚙️ How It Works

Channel 1 (primary) on a dimmer must be connected to a dimmable lighting circuit, unless a Neutral wire is present.
Additional channels on the same dimmer can be programmed in the app—no physical wiring needed.
Upon app setup, all available channels will appear, even if not physically connected to a lighting circuit.

💡 Spare channels show a red LED by default. Pressing them will turn the LED blue—they remain inactive until programmed.

🧠 Programming 2-Way & Multiway Switching

To set up 2-way switching:

Wire only one dimmer to the light (this is the master).
Add additional dimmers as wireless via the Two-Way Switching Automation feature in the Lightwave app.
After calibration, the master dimmer will be active and synchronised with all secondary (slave) dimmers.

⚠️ Secondary dimmers will not be controllable in the app and will show an "S" symbol. They are for physical use only and will flash green briefly when used. For ease of use when using the Lightwave App, we recommend making a new room for secondary (slave) dimmers in the app so that they are hidden away

🔋 Wattage Considerations

Minimum load for a standalone wired dimmer: 10W
If physically wiring multiple dimmers together (not recommended), total minimum wattage = number of dimmers × 10W
Using wireless multiway switching allows you to maintain the 10W minimum load with lower wattage LEDs

💡 Tip: Use Spare Channels Creatively

If your dimmers have neutral wires at the switch location, you can repurpose unused channels for:

Kill switches (e.g., turning off all devices)
Group automations (e.g., controlling plug sockets or relays)
IF-DO Automations (e.g., one button for ON, another for OFF)
Wireless 2-way & Multi-way Switching
Multi-press automations for scene control

This provides enhanced flexibility for smart home automation.

✨ The Magic Button Feature

The Magic Button is any unused channel on a multi-gang dimmer that can be programmed to control other devices.

Example:

Steve had a 1-gang dimmer for his landing light. He upgraded to a 2-gang dimmer with no extra wiring or space needed as 1 gang and 2 gang dimmers are the same size. Channel 1 powers the upstairs light. Channel 2 is set up as a Magic Button to control the Downstairs Hallway Light via a 2-way switching automation.

🎯 Only requirement: the dimmer must receive power—either via a lighting circuit on the primary channel or a live/neutral feed.

You can apply this concept to any gang configuration:

Use 1 gang for lighting
Repurpose remaining gangs as Magic Buttons

🔌 When Physical Wiring is Necessary

In rare cases (e.g., using three 1-gang dimmers without neutral wires), you may need to:

Physically wire the Live (L) and Switch Live (X) in parallel between dimmers
Maintain a minimum 10W load per dimmer (e.g., 3 dimmers = 30W minimum)

🔄 Final Setup Notes

Complete dimmer calibration to finalise setup.
Adjust brightness via the master dimmer; all others will synchronise automatically.