new single pole dimmer switch, to many wires!

[Loxlynn]

I'm replacing my old dimmer switch with a new one because the plate gets warm when I turn on the lights.

Problem is this: The old switch had only two wires coming off of it. The new switch has three. (I have no clue how to read the diagram for installation).

The switch panel is a double panel, with a regular switch controlling another light. It has one red wire and one black wire folded over with the folded end exposed and the actual wire end connected to the other switch in the panel.

My new switch has two black wires and one green wire coming off of it. I've tried connecting the two black wires to the red wire and the green wire to the folded black one, and then tried connecting the two black wires to the folded black wire and the green wire to the red one. Neither combination works.

I don't want to try connecting one black to one wire, and a black and green to the other wire until I'm sure thats a safe combination to try.

Thanks for your help.

[John Nelson]

First of all, it's important to note that it is normal for the plate to get warm with a dimmer switch. You probably could have just left everything alone, and your new dimmer will probably make the plate warm too.

Second, it is even more important to note that connecting a green wire to a black wire is a suicide attempt. You could have easily killed the next person to use that switch. Sorry to be blunt, but if you don't know that green wires are ground wires and black wires are hot wires, you should not be touching any of the wiring in your house.

To connect the new dimmer, connect the two black wires on the dimmer switch to whatever wires the two wires on the old dimmer were connected to.

If there are other bare or green wires in the box, you can connect your green wire to them. Else, if the box is metal, you can connect your green wire to the box. Else just cap it off and connect it to nothing.

[Loxlynn]

Guess people like me is why we hear horror stories :(
I appreciate your bluntness and thank you for the quick reply.

And no worries, I won't be doing any more electrical repairs in my home without proper knowledge.

Putting the old switch back and leaving it alone. :)