Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Dimmer Swich/Canned Lighting Issue

My kitchen has a standard fixture controlled by a normal light switch and canned lighting controlled by a dimmer - both in the same box. I replaced the regular switch and it's working fine, I didn't touch the dimmer and now not working!

Total of 4 wires in the box - 2 red, one red with black tape strip, and one blue. The 2 red go directly to the working light switch. One of the red connected to the strip has about 1" of casing removed 6 inches up the wire. Both the red with black tape and blue are not hot to the touch. I have tried several different ways to get working. I have of course since taken dimmer off and don't know the exact config of the wired. I think the red with black tape and blue were both wrapped around the section of casing removed from the Red?

If I touch the red with black tape to the removed section of casing the canned lights turn on, but they are not controlled by the switch.

The dimmer has 2 black and 1 green wire -- I think the two black were twisted together and connected to the open casing section? I don't think the green was connected to anything

I'm pretty novice but would like to learn how to fix issues like this myself. Please offer any advice you can. Hopefully my explanation is good, but let me know if i can provide further. Also I could take pics if helpful.

Thanks so much
Ron

Could you please fill in your location so that someone most familiar with electrical systems in that area reply?

Could you please define some terms you used like "strip" and "casing"?

It sounds like someone may have used a long tail stripped in 2 places to feed the 2 switches.

You say you can make the recessed come on by touching some wires together but then the switch does not work. Which switch?

The 2 black leads on the dimmer are for power in and power out. Which ever wire is leading to the recessed would attach to 1 black, a source of power would attach to the other black.

The ground wire should be attached to all the other grounds in the box.

Let us know if this solves your problem.

Thanks for Quick Follow up -- Chicago IL - 100 yr old building but all electrical would have been re-done in about 1980

I figured out how to add pics, so hopefully the link below may clarify.
http://picasaweb.google.com/heveran/Wiring2
http://picasaweb.google.com/heveran/Wiring2

Sorry my terminology is way off -- by casing I mean the colored rubber material that covers the actual wire. Strip is how I am refering to the portion of the red wire where the casing was removed.

The regular light switch controlling the fixture always works -- If i touch the red wire with black tape to either of the two other red wires the recessed lighting turns on (but the regular light switch does not turn off.

I assume the two reds bring power in, and the red with black strip controls the recessed?

Thanks again hopefully pics and my explanation will allow help further

What you are calling casing is more commonly called insulation.

I viewed the pics. Can you clarify if one of the wires has 2 bare spots on it, one on the end attached to the screw and another one further up the length of the conductor?

If so most likely that is the power feed. If you were to move the bare spot in the middle of the run to the screw you could then attach one of the black dimmer wires to the stripped end. The red/black wire would go to the other black from the dimmer.

You could test this with a regular switch temporarily just to verify correct operation.

Do not hook up dimmers with the power on. You can fry the dimmer, along with the possiblity of shocking yourself or worse.

What puzzles me is the blue wire.

Thanks for your help PCBoss, you are correct that he one red wire has two bare spots (insulation removed).

I have it somewhat fixed based on your connection - I used the second bare spot on the red wire as the power in, then the red/black to goes to the other connection on the dimmer switch. I don't know what the other blue is needed for, so I capped it off.

The dimmer swich now successfully turns the recesssed lights on/off, however the dimming functions no longer work. I'm sure I did play around with the power one -- something wrong with my hookup or did I probably break the dimmer and should try a new one?

Let me know your thoughts, and thanks again - at least I can turn the damn things on/off now!

I would try another dimmer. That dimmer looks old as the newer ones just have screw terminals.