How to Wire a Dimmer Switch

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Last Updated: March 11, 2025

Lights that dim at your discretion can add an extra touch to living and dining areas. They contribute to eye comfort, emotional mood, and can lower energy bills. Dimmers are available in many styles and for many purposes. Dimmers can have features such as a remote control, LED indicator lights, and delayed dim-to-off fade. However, when safety is a risk, as it always is with electricity, it is good to know how to wire a dimmer switch.

Steps

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1
Choose the dimmer switch designed for your specific lighting fixture needs.
- Pick an incandescent switch for traditional bulbs that gives off light when the filaments heat up.
- Opt for an electronic low-voltage switch if the bulbs are small and used for decorative lighting.
- Buy a fluorescent switch, a special dimming ballast, for fluorescent lights that contains a gas that lights up when charged.
- Select a dimmer switch that is intended for CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights) which use less power and last longer.
2
Turn off the electricity carefully.
- Locate your circuit breaker box and the circuit breaker specific to the lighting fixture to be wired.
- Turn off that circuit breaker.
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3
Confirm the electricity is off at the spot you want to install the dimmer.
- Remove the faceplate from the switch with a screwdriver.
- Touch a non-contact voltage detector to each of the 2 screw terminals.
- If it lights, electricity is still on, and you are at risk, so return to the circuit breaker to determine if it is off and/or if it is the correct circuit breaker.
- If the voltage detector does not light, the electricity is off, and you can proceed.
6
Disconnect the wires from the existing switch with a screwdriver.
- Keep the wires separate; they are stiff and likely to stay in place when you bend them.
- Strip insulation away to expose 3/8 inch (0.9525 cm) of wire.
7
Attach the wires in the box to each terminal on the new switch if the new switch does not come with wires already attached.
- Use needle-nose pliers to wrap the wire tips around their respective terminals.
- Use a screwdriver to tighten the screws at the terminals to secure the wires.
8
Connect the wires in the box to the wires attached to the new dimmer if the dimmer switch does not come with the wires already attached.
- Pair each wire from the electric box with the respective wire on the dimmer switch.
- Use needle-nose pliers to twist exposed ends of wires around each other.
- Tighten a wire nut around each such connection.
- Wrap this wire connection with a 3 inch (7.62 cm) strip of electric tape.
9
Ground the new switch.
- Attach the ground wire to the ground post in the box.
- Clip a grounding clip to the bottom edge of the box if there is no grounding post.
10
Bundle the package together in your hand, and gently insert it into the wall box without undoing any of the connections.
- Try to fold the wires like an accordion to avoid crowding.

Community Q&A

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Question

Do I have to have a special dimmer for the lighting?

Vitaliy Dimitrovich Vinogradov

Community Answer

Depending on the dimmer quality, some lights may flicker (LED mostly), or not be fully-compatible.

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Tips

Use a multi-location dimmer to wire the fixture to 2 or more locations.

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Use a 3-way dimmer to control a light fixture from 2 different switches; for example, from both sides of a room.

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Warnings

Turn circuit breakers off and on with one hand; do not let the other hand touch the circuit breaker in case there is not adequate grounding.

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Call an electrician to do the work if the wires are aluminum, silvery gray instead of shiny copper. Aluminum wiring requires trained professional handling.

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