DIY Dimmer Lighting Switch - Installing a Dimmer Switch

One of the greatest advancements in lighting has been the dimmer switch. Among the advantages is the ability to adjust the atmosphere in the room, and saving money on energy. There's a lot to be said for being able to adjust the light in a room. Even though they can be installed in an existing wall switch or outlet, many people are still intimidated by the thought of installing them. This and other concerns can be easily overcome.

There are two types that you see most often, even though there are many options to choose from. They are the round and the slide, and they both work much the same way. They alter the amount of current that gets to the bulb by changing the resistance of the circuit.

This is where you may encounter your first problem. Not all fluorescent bulbs can be dimmed, make sure you have one that is marked otherwise. Only recently have these bulbs become available. Compact Fluorescent Lights, or CFLs can be dimmed between 20%-80%.

The actual installation is fairly simple.

Before you do any type of electrical work, TURN OFF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER that the switch is on. Many people have been injured, or worse, even if they were wearing gloves and being careful. After turning off the breaker, double check it with a volt-amp meter.

A person can be killed or seriously injured by only 2/10ths of an amp. This number can be even less if your hands are moist or salty. The amount of current is measured in amps. The force of the current is measured by volts, and wattage is a product of the two.

After that, the rest of the job is really simple. First, unscrew the faceplate on the switch or outlet. You can then pull out the switch that is attached to the thick wires. They will be hard to move, so be careful not to pull too hard. If you do, you may pull something loose.

The next step is to remove the large wires from the switch. The wires will be attached either by being wrapped around a screw post, or by a cap screwed over the ends of two wires. The first method is the most common. Simply loosen the screws and pull the wires off.

Since the wires may not be color coded, make sure you remember which on was attached to which post. The scheme may be different from house to house, but usually, hot and ground will be either red and green or white and black. Not all homes are held to the same standards where this is concerned.

Take a look at your dimmer switch and determine which wires go where on the back of the unit. This should be depicted in the directions. Even if you wire it backwards, it will probably still work, but when you push the slide down, the light will get brighter. This isn't a major problem, but it will confuse people who are not aware of it.

Make sure the wires are not touching, and test the switch by turning the circuit breaker back on. Do not touch the wires when the circuit breaker is turned on. If everything works properly, you can then turn the breaker back off and put everything back together. Again, make sure no bare wires are touching each other.

Done!