The first thing you will need to do is determine whether or not your light fixture is dimmable. There are several types of dimmer switches out there.
How To Wire A Floor Mounted Dimmer Switch Great For Led Light Switching
How to wire a dimmer switch. Now in the diagram above the power source is coming in from the left. Notice the black wire is the only wire that we are controlling through the 2 way switch. Common metal box sizes. Black wire power or hot wire white wire neutral bare copper ground when wiring a dimmer switch circuit all we want to do is to control the black wire hot wire to turn dimbrighten the load. If there is bare wire exposed unscrew the wire connector remove the wires trim the ends of the wires with a wire cutter and then re cap the wires. How to install a dimmer switch choosing a dimmer.
If you determine your fixture is dimmable you will need to turn off the power to the area you are going to be installing a dimmer switch. Attach the dimmer switch to the box and reinstall the switch plate once the wires are attached you can gently fold any excess wire and compress the dimmer into the electrical box. Move slowly to ensure the wires dont loosen or break if you have to force the switch into position. Check for hot wires. Tighten a wire nut over each pair of wire ends. This simple diagram below will give you a better understanding of what this circuit is accomplishing.
Connect each dimmer wire to a house wire by gripping the wire ends with a pair of pliers and twisting them together. You have an incoming hot wire. Next you will need to use your non contact voltage tester in order to be sure there. Now unscrew and remove the dimmer switchs faceplate and dimmer knob if yours has one disconnect all wires coming from or going into the existing switch most. How to install a dimmer switch. Turn on the light and have.
Also if your light fixture is on a single pole switch or a three way switch. First turn off the power going to this switch flip your circuit breaker off and use a tester after the next step to confirm this. Sometimes shutting the main off is the safest way to go about this. Wiring a dimmer switch is straightforward if you know how to turn off the electricity to the dimmer switch and connect a few wiresreally thats all there is to hooking up a dimmer switch. To begin turn off the power and double check for hot wires in the box. The two house wires may be black red or white with black marking.
We show the single switch but there are also. The wires from the dimmer will typically be black.