My roomate and I bought dimmer switches for our bedrooms. However, when we installed them, his room gets electricity in half his room, and I get none what so ever. We tried so many different ways to install the dimmer, and even exchanged them. Nothing works. There are only three wires, 2 black, and one green wire (ground.) We then re-installed our old switches, and our electricity is back to normal. Please help! My AIM SN is PeteS112 if you need to message me. Thanks.
2006-10-02 13:18:54 · 4 answers · asked by Pete S 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Well first of all you should have 3 different colored wires. A green (ground) a black (common) and a white (power). Sounds to me like you need to switch the wire around because they are not color coded correctly. If you have a volt ohm meter you can test it and see otherwise it is a trial and error method.
Both rooms may be on the same circuit and if that is the case and they are set in parallel instead of series you may not be able to put a dimmer in each room.
This sounds like an old house or someone that wired it wrong to begin with.
2006-10-02 13:32:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Several types of dimmer switches are available--for example, push-on dimmers ( figure A) and slide dimmers (figure B)--but most operate the same way.
Materials:
Dimmer switch
Medium-size flat-head screwdriver
Needle-nose pliers
Crimping tool
Circuit tester
Barrel crimps
Wire nuts
Safety tip: Periodically test your circuit tester at an operating electrical outlet.
Turn off the power at the circuit breaker.
Remove the switchplate cover.
Remove the screws from the existing switch, and pull it out from the wall.
Use the circuit tester to make sure the power is off.
Disconnect the wiring.
Straighten the wires coming from the wall.
Twist a wire from the switch onto a wire from the wall, and snug the connection with needle-nose pliers. Use a barrel crimp (figure C) to connect the green wire to the bare copper ground wire. (Some building codes require that ground wires be connected with barrel crimps.)
Note: For this installation, it doesn't matter which color wires you use to make your connections.
Cap the connection tightly with a wire nut.
Repeat the process for the other two wires.
Push the wires back into the box, screw the switch into place, and replace the cover. Be sure to install sliding dimmer switches upright--otherwise they could operate in reverse. The previous cover plate may not fit; others are available.
Turn the power back on at the circuit breaker.
2006-10-02 13:25:42 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
tough question. The receptacles could be wired to come on when you turn on the lights, if that is the case, you are creating a voltage drop with the dimmers. No easy fix there
2006-10-02 17:16:37 · answer #3 · answered by T C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
demmer switches wont work on most resest lighting or floresents that is what i think is happening thay only work whith light bulbs or the new kind ov resest try getting a 12 3 dimmer switch insted of a 12 2
2006-10-02 13:26:17 · answer #4 · answered by letta g 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋