Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Installing a Dimmer, Dims the room!(help)
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daenthre
10-05-09, 02:35 PM
Hi There,
I am trying to install a dimmer switch to replace a regular old light switch. The light is only controlled by this one switch, so I expected a single pole application. Opening the box revealed 2 grey wires and a black wire, no ground, all hooked to the light switch (and 2 neutral tied together).
No problem, my dimmer works for single pole or 3 way application.
I proceed with the install, attach the black lead(from the dimmer) to the black wire, and the two red leads(again from the dimmer) one each to each grey wire and ground to the metal box with the green lead.
power back on... switch doesnt work, just the led indicator saying the light is off... hmm.
Long story short, If i connect the black lead to one of the gray wires (has to be a certain one, not either... ive since tagged it) and then the red leads, one to black and one to gray, now the light turns on and off, and dimms, BUT if my light is on, the receptacles in the room don't work, so if i turn the light off, they do work again.
Not only that, the dimmer now controls the receptacles in the room .. I connected a simple desk lamp to test this.
what the heck is going on here, did the people that wire the room just do it wrong? Any help or advice would be appreciated, this is the first time I try to do anything electrical in my home.
I am trying to install a dimmer switch to replace a regular old light switch. The light is only controlled by this one switch, so I expected a single pole application. Opening the box revealed 2 grey wires and a black wire, no ground, all hooked to the light switch (and 2 neutral tied together).
No problem, my dimmer works for single pole or 3 way application.
I proceed with the install, attach the black lead(from the dimmer) to the black wire, and the two red leads(again from the dimmer) one each to each grey wire and ground to the metal box with the green lead.
power back on... switch doesnt work, just the led indicator saying the light is off... hmm.
Long story short, If i connect the black lead to one of the gray wires (has to be a certain one, not either... ive since tagged it) and then the red leads, one to black and one to gray, now the light turns on and off, and dimms, BUT if my light is on, the receptacles in the room don't work, so if i turn the light off, they do work again.
Not only that, the dimmer now controls the receptacles in the room .. I connected a simple desk lamp to test this.
what the heck is going on here, did the people that wire the room just do it wrong? Any help or advice would be appreciated, this is the first time I try to do anything electrical in my home.
ray2047
10-05-09, 03:53 PM
Opening the box revealed 2 grey wires and a black wire, no ground, all hooked to the light switch Following assumes a switch with only two screws. Was one of those wires in the back stab hole? If so that wire and the one on the screw matching the backstab it was in should have been pigtailed and the pigtail to the dimmer. The other wire from the regular switch to the other connection on the dimmer for single switch use.
daenthre
10-05-09, 04:23 PM
The switch had two of the wires in the 'quick release' slots in the back and one more on the side to a screw.
I figured it out, had the gray common wire, tied it with the black wire from the wall and paired them all with the black lead from dimmer. Then put the red lead from dimmer to the last gray wire and finally capped the free red lead and taped it. Then taped the green ground to the box.
Now everything works :)
I figured it out, had the gray common wire, tied it with the black wire from the wall and paired them all with the black lead from dimmer. Then put the red lead from dimmer to the last gray wire and finally capped the free red lead and taped it. Then taped the green ground to the box.
Now everything works :)
ray2047
10-05-09, 04:55 PM
:)That's what I said. Glad you got it. Thanks for letting us know.