Electrical work is not something I’ve done much of. I have a healthy respect/fear based on inexperience.
House was built in the late 50’s, maybe early 60’s. Chandelier over dining room table runs off a push on/off rotating dimmer switch. That switch has died. It’s a Leviton switch from some unknown era.
Went to Ace Hardware and bought a newfangled Leviton dimmer. Made in China. A slider for dimming and an rocker for on-off.
I found the correct breaker switch on the panel, turned off electricity to that circuit. Unscrewed the old dimmer from the wall box and found that it only has two wires hooked up to it. Well, that’s simple.
The dimmer switch I bought has four wires. Black for hot to the switch, red to the light, green for ground, and another red for a 3-way installation, which I’m not doing.
The wiring I saw in the back of the wall box had some electrical tape on them, but as soon as I pulled the old dimmer loose from the box and saw only two wires being used, I decided, “I don’t know what I’m doing”, and stopped. (Recognizing that and stopping is a special skill I have… most of the time.
)
So, how shall I proceed?
1. Ground the green wire to the box with a screw? Very little else of the wiring in this house appears to have a third prong/ground involved. None that I can think of, really
2. Don’t worry about anything but the two wires, black and red, that make the light go on?
3. Pull the wiring/electrical tape ends I see stuffed in the back of the box out and inspect further?
4. Do not mess with sorcery I do not fully understand? Get a real electrician, you dolt?
Can’t post pics right now, computer problems.
Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm at work today but have the next two days free for projects like this.
House was built in the late 50’s, maybe early 60’s. Chandelier over dining room table runs off a push on/off rotating dimmer switch. That switch has died. It’s a Leviton switch from some unknown era.
Went to Ace Hardware and bought a newfangled Leviton dimmer. Made in China. A slider for dimming and an rocker for on-off.
I found the correct breaker switch on the panel, turned off electricity to that circuit. Unscrewed the old dimmer from the wall box and found that it only has two wires hooked up to it. Well, that’s simple.
The dimmer switch I bought has four wires. Black for hot to the switch, red to the light, green for ground, and another red for a 3-way installation, which I’m not doing.
The wiring I saw in the back of the wall box had some electrical tape on them, but as soon as I pulled the old dimmer loose from the box and saw only two wires being used, I decided, “I don’t know what I’m doing”, and stopped. (Recognizing that and stopping is a special skill I have… most of the time.
)So, how shall I proceed?
1. Ground the green wire to the box with a screw? Very little else of the wiring in this house appears to have a third prong/ground involved. None that I can think of, really
2. Don’t worry about anything but the two wires, black and red, that make the light go on?
3. Pull the wiring/electrical tape ends I see stuffed in the back of the box out and inspect further?
4. Do not mess with sorcery I do not fully understand? Get a real electrician, you dolt?
Can’t post pics right now, computer problems.
Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm at work today but have the next two days free for projects like this.
