How to Install a Interior Light Switch Dimmer

Replacing your light switch with a light switch dimmer allows you to control to the brightness of your lighting. Also, you can add a light switch dimmer to any room in the house that has a light switch. This article will give you step by step instructions for installing an interior light switch dimmer.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Light switch dimmer.
• Screwdrivers.
• Plastic screw caps.

1. Removing the light switch.
   
   The first step is to turn the power off to the area of the room that you will be replacing the light switch with the light switch dimmer. Then take your screwdriver and remove the screws from the front cover and remove the screws from the light switch and remove the light switch.

2. Unhooking the light switch wiring.
   
   Next, double check to make sure that the power is off to the light switch and then start removing the wires from the light switch. You should have a hot wire and a ground wire or two hot wires and two ground wires.

3. Hooking up the light switch dimmer.
   
   Next, take your light switch dimmer and reattach the wires to the proper connections on the light switch dimmer. The dimmer should have markings for the hot wires and the ground wires. Then screw the dimmer switch to the housing. Then take the plastic screw caps and connect each wire from the main wires to the light switch dimmer. Screw the caps on very tightly.

4. Reinstalling the light switch dimmer and testing.
   
   Lastly, reattach the front cover to the light switch dimmer and then turn the power back on and test the dimmer switch. If it works then you have completed the job. If not then you will have to turn the power back off and check your wiring. The dimmer is marked for wiring so it is hard to get the wiring wrong or backwards.

Tips & Warnings

• Always make sure that the power is off before working on electricity.
• When testing the electrical wires you will need the power on so you can see which wire is your hot wire. The tester will light up when touched to the hot wire.

[bellerose]

on 9/10/2009 Thanks for instructions on how to install an interior light switch dimmer. Rewiring is really not hard with the right instructions. 5*