How to Replace Dining Room Dimmer Switch

By Gary Boutin

Fig.1 Outlet tester

Supplies and Tools:
Dimmer switch kit

Flat-head screwdriver

Outlet tester
Wire caps 

George Baker is a used car salesman who live in Chino Hills, California and he live in a studio cottage overlooking a golf course overrun by carts and flying golf balls. George is a tinkerer and he touches everything he believe that he can repair. He did mention that the dimmer switch had never worked and the ceiling light had never worked since he purchase his home.

This post shows the twelve steps on how to replace a standard dimmer switch in a dining room.

Step 1: Fig.1 shows the removed the dimmer switch plate and wires.
Step 2: Fig.2 shows that the electrical circuit for the dining room outlets is turned off.  The most important step in this job is safety, and this job requires that the power is turned off.

Fig.2 Switch wires

Step 3: Fig.3 shows the electrical panel.

Fig.3 Electrical panel

Step 4: Fig.4 shows the dimmer switch kit that George purchased for the job.

Fig.4 Dimmer switch

Step 5: Fig.5 shows the outlet by using a outlet tester to make sure the power was off in the dining room, there is no lights on the tester.

Fig.5 Plug tester

Step 6: Fig.6 shows the wiring, the grounds were attached together. The dimmer switch was dandling from the wall, and both of the wires except the ground were black and tied together with a very old and loose wire nuts. 

Fig.6 copper and 
ground attached

Step 7: Fig.7 shows George had purchased a single pole dimmer switch because there was only one switch in the dining room. The new switch had one green wire(ground) and two black wire.

Fig.7 Old dimmer switch

Step 8: Fig.8 shows the switch remove each wire nut from the old switch and replace with the new switch. After hooking the hot black wires from the box to the switch, twist and attach a wire nut to the ground wires. Black electrical tape is attached to each wire nut making sure they do not come apart.

Fig.8 Each 
connection taped

Step 9: Fig.9 shows the switch is finished and the wires need to be pushed back into the box.

Fig.9 Wires finished

Step 10: Fig.10 shows the dimmer switch plate is attached to the wall box

Fig.10 Front of 
dimmer switch

Step 11 Fig.11 shows the wall plate is attached to the wall.

Fig.11 Dimmer
 switch blank plate

Step 12: Fig.12 shows the circular pole knob is attached to the light switch and to turn on the power,

Fig.12 Button added 
to wall switch

Step 13: Fig.13 shows the outlet tester light are turned on. George turned on the dimer switch and the dining room lamp was not on, I replace the bulb and then for the first time in ten years the lamp was, illuminating the dining room. 

Fig.13 Plug Tester

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