How to Install a Dimmer Switch on a Light Switch or Lamp

Putting in a dimmer switch to any light or lamp in your home can potentially save you some money on your electric bill and can also be a nice addition to the lighting in your home. Dimmer switches are nice to have in dining rooms for setting the right light for a dinner party, but the more practical uses are for lamps and bedrooms. If you think about it the dimmer is usually not utilized to its full usefulness in an average living or family room. The places where it makes most sense to have a dimmer are usually not utilized. It's good to have dimmers on lamps because you often need to switch light settings depending on what you are doing, whether it is reading in bed, watching TV or just to have a setting for a child's room while they sleep. There are many uses for a dimmer switch and here is how to install them on switch and on lamps.

First things first, always turn off your power at the breaker box before starting your project. There are a few different things you need to know before getting started. First of all if you are putting a dimmer on a ceiling fan you need to get a fan rated dimmer, nothing else will work. If you have a light that is controlled by two switches that do not have ON and OFF printed on the switches, only one of the switches can be used as a dimmer. If a single switch controls the light you need to use a "single-pole" dimmer.

The first thing you need to do is remove the old switch. Take off the switch cover plate by unscrewing the screw in the middle of the plate and take the cover off. Next you will need to take the mounting screws off the switch itself there should be two of them, one on top and one on the bottom. Once the screws are out gently pull the switch out of the wall, it will be connected to wires so don't be alarmed if it takes a firmer pull than you thought. Next you need to get the wires disconnected from the terminal, the easiest way is to snip them close to the terminal itself but if you have a situation where there is not a lot of wire to work with unscrew the screws and release the wire that way, then you will an extra inch or two to work with.

Now you are ready to connect the new dimmer switch and try it out. First you need to check and see if the dimmer switch has a green grounding lead, if it does you need to connect it to the bare (copper color) or green wire in the box. After connecting the ground wire you need to straighten the ends of the black wires, if they break snip it back a bit and strip the insulation off it and start over. Once you have stripped the insulation you need to splice the switch leads to the house wires. Use electrical nuts for sure and use some electrical tape to be extra cautious. I like to test the dimmer before screwing the face back up, so turn your breaker back on and turn the dimmer on. Be careful to only touch the face because if you make the connection with the side of the switch you will electrocute yourself. Be careful and if it works go back and turn the breaker back to the off position. The reason I like to test it is so if it doesn't work don't have to go through the pain of unscrewing everything again. If it works fold the house wires and switch leads into the box, then fasten the switch to the box with its two mounting screws. Replace the cover plate and you are done.

The lamp dimmer is a little easier and quicker. The first thing you do is unplug your lamp and separate the cord's two wires with a utility knife. You need to figure out which wire is the neutral and which is the hot; the neutral will be ribbed while the hot will be smooth. Next you need to cut through the hot wire in the middle of the slit. With wire strippers remove the insulation from both ends of the cut wire. Now you need to remove the switch cover and thread the uncut wire through the switch body. Insert each stripped wire and under a terminal clamp and firmly tighten the clamp screws on the wires. Put the cover back together making sure you tuck the lamp cord into the opening at each end of the dimmer. Now you are set to go.

Both of these projects are fairly simple and do not take a lot of time. Hop it works and good luck.