![]() Reattach the light switch cover plate and tighten its screws. ![]() Screw the dimmer switch into the electrical box. Using another connector, attach the remaining wire from the wall to the remaining black wire on the switch. ![]() Using another connector, attach one of the other two wires from the wall to either of the two black wires on the dimmer switch. Make sure the bare ends of any insulated wires are completely covered by the connector. Hold the wires next to each other, and screw on the connector in a clockwise direction. Use a twist-on wire connector to attach the green ground wire from the dimmer switch to the ground wire coming from the wall. If your ground wire is bare, you won’t need to strip it. Strip an inch of insulation off the wires coming from the wall. You’ll use the wire leads that come already attached to your dimmer switch. Loosen the screws that hold the two similar wires to the switch, then remove those wires.Ĭut the ends of the three wires coming from the wall. Two of the wires going into the switch will be similar (either both black or one white and one black), while the third will be either a green or bare copper ground wire. Use a circuit tester to make sure none of the wires going into the switch are live. It will now be attached by only three wires. Unscrew the screws that anchor the switch in the electrical box, and remove the switch. Unscrew and remove the light switch cover plate. Make sure the power is off by flipping the light switch. How to install a Dimmer Switch in differents steps:Ĭut the power to the light switch by flipping the circuit breaker or removing the fuse at the main panel. Flashlight (if you’re working at night or in an area without natural light) Dimmer switch (I prefer the kind that are the same size as a regular toggle switch Voltage detector (not strictly necessary but highly recommended) Your basic electrical tools will do for this job. Newer dimmer switches will actually conserve energy when you’re not lighting the bulb at full capacity. Some dimmer switches use resistors so you’re paying for the electricity even though you’re seeing less light. Check to see if the switch you want to replace is a single pole (one switch) or three-way (can be turned on/off from multiple locations) switch-that too will determine the type of dimmer you need. If you have CFL bulbs you will need to go with one of the newer varieties, like those from Lutron. Not all dimmer switches are compatible with Compact Fluorescent Lights. Before you go around ripping switches out of the wall, there are a couple of things you should know about wiring and dimmer switches:
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