Compare the figure you get with the volume of your existing box. They are usually marked red in the wall, but can be black and otherwise taped or marked off. If you have less than three wires, stop and call an electrician. If testing reveals your box isn't grounded, you can still install the dimmer, but you must use a plastic cover plate and make sure no bare metal parts are exposed. Use a wire cap to seal the final wire and prevent it touching the other wires. Install Insteon Wall Switch, attach the wall plate and turn on power. Leave this circuit turned off while you work. But installing a dimmer switch is a little more involved than simply swapping out a few wires. It depends on the dimmer switch. For 3-way switches be sure to check the on/off switches at both light switches. Test the wires with the voltmeter to triple-check voltage levels. Test the new dimmer switch by turning on and off, dimming as you go. But test first using a neon voltage tester to verify that the wire is connected to a ground. These are more common in new builds to allow for transition in open concept spaces, but can also be found in midcentury homes that brought open concept living to life. Step 12: Test the Dimmer Switch Read the package if you'll be installing dimmers side by side in the same electrical box because the wattage rating is reduced to compensate for extra heat buildup. With a three-way switch, three wires connect the pair of switches—two black “traveler” wires and a third “common” wire. 4. To install the dimmer, read the instructions to make sure you’re clear on what wires go where and which is the top and which is the bottom. If your wires are solid copper, create a loop in the end of the wire with the pliers and guide it around the screw on the side of the dimmer. Use a plastic wire cap to secure the two wires after wrapping, protecting the connection and ensuring a tight seal. The tools you’ll need to install a toggle dimmer switch are inexpensive and will come in handy for all your electrical projects. I will create a future article covering that scenario. of the insulated covering from the wires in the box and bend a loop in each with needle-nose pliers. Next, connect the red wire to the hot lead wire and cap them together. We show the single switch but there are also three-way dimmers, CFL and LED dimmer switches. here are 10 key facts that your electrician wishes you knew. Install dimmer switch. The ground wire is typically green or copper and should be connect to the bottom, center wire on your dimmer. Use a plastic wire cap to secure the two wires after wrapping, protecting the connection and ensuring a tight seal. Dimmer Switch mechanism. Our step-by-step instructions will show you how to install the dimming switch, concentrating on details that will guarantee a safe installation. Make sure the electricity is turned off at the main fuse box before proceeding. After you unscrew the switch and pull it away from the box, probe around inside the box with the detector to make sure there are no other hot wires from another circuit. square of drywall or plaster and patching it after the new large box is installed. Our latest shed is also a pavilionâand you can build it, too! House Beautiful participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. To begin, turn off the power and double-check for hot wires in the box. Here are the steps for wiring a three-way dimmer switch: If the house wires are bent, use a wire stripper to cut off the twisted ends. If you're just replacing an already existing 2-way switch, then your objective should be as easy as swapping the wires from one switch to the other. A two-way dimmer switch has three wires coming out of the back. If the switch box is small or has a lot of wires in it, you may need to upgrade to a larger box so the dimmer fits in without cramming it against the wires. (see lights and switches) Although there was none there, we have added a red indicator to the black wire. A good dimmer switch can be a real game-changer in any room. Step #3. Older homes may only have a hot lead and a ground wire. This article is for a single-pole dimmer switch. If the switch you're replacing is the only switch controlling the light, buy a standard single-pole dimmer. Finish the job by installing the cover plate and turning on the power to test the new dimmer. Plastic boxes have the volume stamped inside, usually on the back. Screw the dimmer to the box with the screws provided. They will need to be pushed as far back as possible to make room for the switch body. This may indicate a dangerous switched neutral. Then tie the 2 black wires along with the black "Line" wire on the iDevices Dimmer Switch together with a wire nut. But you won't be able to dim the lights from every switch location unless you buy a set of special dimmers with advanced electronics and install one at each switch location. Check the manufacturer’s specifications on the package to be sure. Fifteen-amp circuits are usually wired with 14-gauge wire and 20-amp circuits require 12-gauge or heavier wire. Remove the 2 wires from the existing switch by cutting them with diagonal pliers or other suitable device, or loosen the screw terminals as required. Have an older home with a single pole switch? The black and red wires in the other bundle (four-wire), entering the box from up top, are the travelers (wires from the other switch). The dimmer buttons will not work on either switch until the two smart switches are linked in the C by GE app. Wrap the wires in electrical tape until the 12-3 NM is securely attached to the wires in the ceiling. I don’t have any instruction for it. Unscrew the switch from the electrical box and pull it out with the wires … Dimmer Switch Wiring Diagram Photos Question: I am trying to install a new GE 600w 120vac dimmer switch. Both of these wires are live wires when the circuit is reconnected. You have a single pole switch if you can only turn on/off your lights using a singular switch. Most dimmers come with a plate to fit the new dimensions, but some are made to fit standard plates. Attach the dimmer to the box with the help of mounting screws provided. Two Red wires: These wires attach to the "travelers" which are the pair of wires attached to the two screws at one end of the regular 3-way-switch. Tip: If the circuit breaker is labeled “15 amp, ” the wires are probably 14-gauge, or 12-gauge for 20-amp circuit breakers. The wall switch has two whites together caped, two blacks in the switch, and then the green. Usually, two wires will be black and one will be green. Test it again for a ground. We make it even easier with the Lutron Wiring Wizard, an interactive tool that provides installation guidance in multiple ways – videos specific to your type of dimmer, a step-by-step interactive guide, and a PDF of the wiring diagram. Place the loop clockwise around the screw terminals and close the loop around the screws with the needle nose pliers. We recommend just removing about a 16-in. The ground wire is typically green or copper and should be connected to the bottom, center wire on your dimmer. To figure the minimum box size required by the electrical code, add 1 for each hot and neutral wire entering the box, 1 for all the ground wires combined, 1 for all the clamps combined, and 2 for each device (switch or receptacle) installed in the box. Take box cutter to widen the space in the drywall and accommodate the new switch before installing. If it is, attach a short ground wire to the metal box with either a metal grounding clip or a green grounding screw screwed into the threaded hole in the back of the box. When the circuit’s power is turned on, any of these may be “hot,” depending upon how the switches are toggled. They control the electricity to one light source. When installing your dimmer, remember electricity flows into it on one side and out on the other side. Clip off the bent end of each wire with the wire cutter. Lastly, remove the ground wire and toss out the old three-way switch. Good Luck, Volt-Ron Screw the dimmer to the box with the screws provided. Remove all wires from the 4-way switch and cap both red wires with wire nuts. As always, green denotes the ground or copper wire. Identify the different colored wires, and attach the wires to the dimmer in the same way they had been attached to the switch. Call an electrician if the original switch is connected to two white wires. beyond the solid wire. BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING: STEP 1 ... Before disconnecting the wires from the switch, label each wire with the provided labels. 44 Very Merry Christmas Table Decorations, Ty Pennington Just Got His Own Show on HGTV, This Video Shows How to Wrap a Gift Without Tape, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Stop twisting when the connector is snug. 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