How To Install a Dimmer Switch

[stigmatic79]

Woman are like dimmers sometimes up sometimes down.

[Dualshock21]

i got 4 wires coming out of my wall...

[yummybluespidermans]

I used to call my teacher "Dimmerzwitch"

[tidbit28]

Step 1: Make people watch an ad. Step 2: Don't explain how to use a Multimeter, and call it a "Circuit Tester".

[General4nubis]

Hm. Howcast's symbol looks pretty close to Smosh's, lol.

[MrZeroCide]

Oh howcast. The amount of people you've helped burn down houses.

[highnrising]

You don't even need to turn off the power to install a dimme/light switch.

[drseusslover]

@highnrising

you should so you don't get shocked while installing the switch

[drseusslover]

if you don't turn off the power you will get shocked. The shock can be so bad it can kill you

[extremefush]

@numero96 It will spark when it short circuits which can start a fire :p

[madbab00n]

nice ill look forward to my house burning down when those peice of shit caps fall of then short out

[xiaoyangkao2]

the bulbs efficiency does not scale linearly cuz of resistance.. so a quarter turn does not always equal 25 percent energy reduction

[bakero2]

Cool ... Thanks a lot..you save me $30.00

[Kramnosnits]

really ? You're saying that 1/4 is equal to 25% ? I have learned something. *haha* *duhhh*

[lamberechtsdylan]

This doesn't make sense ...

Grtz

An elektrician from Belguim

[furiousz11]

@lamberechtsdylan becuz?

[JO3haNsum]

those are not the proper names for those tools

[AsaultUnit14]

gonna try it right now

[bruno2260]

@ 2:23; If you turn it a 1/4 of the way down, wouldn't it save energy consumption by 25%?

[NoirNG]

@bruno2260 In theory, yes, but because the dimmer is becoming hot and may even start "humming", your saved energy percentage will be lower than 25%.

[ErnieL23]

@bruno2260 by 75%

[bruno2260]

@ErnieL23 To save 75% it would have to be turned down 3/4 of the way.

[ErnieL23]

@bruno2260 i thought it said a 1/4 of the way turned up :p

[miguellopez57]

I tried this but my switch won't dim the lights..... It's either on or off.... When I have it at what should be the dimmest...the bulbs just flicker and I hear a humming noise coming from switch.... What to do?????

[TheChrisey]

@miguellopez57 I have the same issue u shuld replace the dimmer tht shuld fix the problem

[CanadianCowgirl1955]

great video...thanks!

[phonetics21]

if i knew who the goon was - i would (obviously). I bought a foreclosure. Anyway - I figured it out by trial n error.

[xxx124xxx]

for whoever said they cant find the basic dimmers, try walmart... they carry them.

[phonetics21]

this video is completely useless. If installing a wire was this easy there would be no need for a video. Try explaining what normal boxes look like when you open it. They often DO NOT have a ground wire and are all covered up with duct tape and you cant tell which wire is which. Im trying to install dimmer switches and some are blue and some are black and there is NO white OR green. WTF! Nothing is useful!!

[MistaColins]

@phonetics21 contact the goon who installed your switch in the first place.

[EvanQuinn07]

@phonetics21 that crap happened to me, I had to Test each wire, find out wha's HOT and what's not and go from there

[metalbeast7]

my dimmer doesnt have ground

[lcxo21305]

The video was alot of help but I could not find the basic old school dimmers like in the video..Lowe's only carries the "top notch" ones so unfortunately it still did not solve my dimmer switch problem but it was a very uncomplicated video. Thanks

[fortyninerfan78]

I love how the wires already in there are nicely color coded. What a crock. There must be an easy way to explain how to tell which wire's neutral, ground, and hot when they're all dirty and the elec. tape is rotting. This video wasn't a help to me and no I won't contact a professional b/c I don't feel like paying any freaking money. Videos should be realistic and use an example of what you'd most likely find in a wallbox that hasn't been messed with for years.

[EmbrunFalcon91]

Just a small tip for oyu guys, The black wire is usually te wire that gives the power, and the power always goes onto the golden screw, the white one usually goes on the silver screw. In some cases though they use the white wire for the black wire's role and should put a peice of blacktape or some other indicator to let othes know. if not then he did a bad job lol

[domyaska]

great explanation!!! perfect !!! thanks a lot!!!!

[TheMojo487]

HELP! i tried this and now NO electricity works in the whole room!

[chemiealex]

Maybe you forgot to turn on the electricity again :)

Contact a professional!

[wholelottabubba]

Well made video.

[clubsoda69]

instead of using a "CIRCUIT TESTER", can I just stick my finger in it?

[MrDavC]

Now thats not very smart... a better option would be letting someone else stick their fingers in lol.

[KMrockstar]

Thank you :) I needed to install dimmer switches at the back of a theater I help run. Needed it for the house lights. This video was very informative :)

[Leftyswinger]

Thank you Mandingo!!!

[00Mandingo00]

people should also be aware that sometimes the power is run to the switch box. To keep things simple only attach the wires that were attached to the original switch that you pulled out. Label them or hold the new switch and the old one in your hand and move the wires over so you don't get confused.

[Leftyswinger]

Ok--so my house is old. When I removed my old switch, there was ONLY a white and a black wire---no ground. What do I do now?

[00Mandingo00]

if the box the switch is in is made of metal you can attach the ground wire to the box. You can still install the light switch even with no ground wire though.

[Jean2291]

But what do you do if in your switch box you have a white, a black and a ground wire and NOT TWO black wires like they always show.

[portugal82]

if you have a white wire, you follow the diagram in the instruction paper and locate the white connector or look at your dimmer switch and it should tell you where the white wire goes.

[geetarust]

thats called a switch loop,you put the black on one wire(lign)and the white on the other one(load)n .line means hot to the switch and load means the wire that gets switched on and off.gfci outlets have a line and load.

[dhoorfar]

This was great. I love the step by step instructions. Great job.

[PrincessKahara]

I think I broke the dimmer in my room Dx Maybe this will come in handy if I get a new one.

[XSticksXnXStonesX]

i love how they tell you everything you need... exept the dimmer switch

[kallumsmart1]

i find this sad cause i have watch all the videos hes done

[lemonopoli]

interesting :)

[yestyle]

It seems to be dangerous when all the lights is on with switch off the power generator/storage at home. I recommend that you have to switch off all the entire power source on your home where the storage like generator then you have to follow what he said on howcast video. Beware kids should not try this at home.

[Mykai73]

SO MANY COLORS AHH

[Man5man6]

this helped thanks

[DaleOfHope]

I'll say first too, even though I know how to count and I'm actually number 5.