Step 4: Disconnect the Wiresĭisconnect the wall wires from the existing light switch. They may even disconnect, which is another reason to be certain the power is off. If you are changing a very old switch, wires may be loose or brittle. Move the probe to the other switch terminal and repeat. To verify that power has indeed been shut off, touch one probe of a neon circuit tester to one of the terminal screws and the other to the metal outlet box, a white (neutral) wire, or a bare (or green) ground wire. Carefully pull the switch out of the box. Remove the old switch by unscrewing the screws on the top and bottom of the switch. Unscrew the cover plate with a screwdriver and pop it off. Not only does it protect you from injury, but it also protects the dimmer switch from potential damage.Īfter turning the breaker off, tape over it with a piece of electrical tape to ensure that no one will turn it on while you're working. Turning power off is the most important step and should never be skipped. Whenever you are working with electricity, use extreme caution. Turn the light switch on to double-check that the circuit is off. If you're not sure which breaker it is, turn off power to the entire house. Find the right breaker and flip it to the "off" position. Turn off the power to the circuit you're working on at your home's main electrical panel. Once you know the maximum wattage allowed, you need to choose from the various types of controls - push-on/push-off, rotate-on/rotate-off, knob, slide, touch-activated or toggle switch with slide. Most fluorescent lights, however, cannot be controlled by dimmers. In general, low-voltage lighting requires low-voltage controls. For example, if you have six lights, each rated for a maximum 100W lamp, you will need at least a 600W dimmer. You also need to make sure that the total maximum wattage allowed for all the light fixtures that will be controlled by a single dimmer switch does not exceed the maximum wattage rating on the dimmer. But how do you know which kind of dimmer to get? You can buy a single-pole dimmer for a circuit with an outlet controlled from only one switch location, or a 3-way dimmer for a circuit with an outlet controlled from two switch locations. Replacing a simple on-off light switch with a dimmer switch gives you more options for bright and low-level lighting. Installing a dimmer switch is an easy home improvement project that can be completed in about 30 minutes to an hour by simply following the instructions below. They also help you save energy, money while adding to the life of your light bulbs by reducing the amount of wattage emitted. Dimmer switches add flexibility to existing lighting.
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