Search the forums

Loading
Home › Forums › Breaktime › General Discussion

Problem wiring new dimmer switch

prout35's picture

Problem wiring new dimmer switch (post #207385)

prout35 on Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:28 (updated 01/25/13 - 01:44) 
in

Replacing dimmer. Old dimmer has two black wires attached to two white wires in box. There are two black wires in box not attached to dimmer but wire-nutted together. Is it ok to wire the new dimmer switch the same way?
 
Both the black wires, which are nutted together, are hot all the time. If the switch is on (light turned on), neither of the white wires is hot. If the switch is off (light turned off) one white wire is hot, the other white wire is not hot. (to repeat: the two white wires are nutted to the two black wires from the dimmer switch.)
 
Old dimmer works. New one has higher capacity.
-A +A

It sounds like they have the (post #207385, reply #1 of 3)

by gfretwell in reply to prout35 [original] on Fri, 01/25/2013 - 13:36

It sounds like they have the dimmer in the neutral (white). It should be on the black side and the whites should be connected.

Checking the wires with a meter to ground would give you the real answer. One of the blacks should be hot, one white (in the same cable) should be zero. The other two could be anything if you have a digital meter.

Greg

Yep, sounds like the switch (post #207385, reply #2 of 3)

by DanH in reply to gfretwell [original] on Fri, 01/25/2013 - 17:51

Yep, sounds like the switch is in the neutral instead of the hot side.  Not right.

The switch should be installed so that the fixture is "cold" when the switch is off.


Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed.  --Herman Melville