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e1doradocaddy OP t1_jef50b9 wrote

Reply to comment by DenimNeverNude in Dimmer Switch Wiring Question by e1doradocaddy

Hey, thanks for the reply. I have a meter. I've wired some things before, but I always had the hot, ground, and neutral. It threw me off that none of the white or ground wires were connected to the switches. So, I tied the incoming black wire to the black on the dimmer switch, the ground to the other grounds, the solid red to the jumper going to the second switch, and capped off the red striped wire.

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DenimNeverNude t1_jef77ek wrote

Also, what "threw you off" is normal for generic light switches. Lights need a complete circuit to turn on. You use a basic light switch to turn on/off just the black hot wire, which breaks the complete circuit to the light. There is no need to also break the white wire, so that's why they're all connected, just passing the neutrals through the j-box out to the lights. The switches should have been grounded for safety, but doesn't affect the operation of them.

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DenimNeverNude t1_jef6bbv wrote

Sounds like you wired it backwards. If you're leaving the switch on the right, you want the jumper to connect to the black on the dimmer (left). The red wire from the dimmer should connect to the black romex wire going out of the box (on the left). That black wire goes to your light. Before you actually make that connection, I'd suggest fully disconnecting the switch on the left, capping the jumper, turn power back on, and check the black romex wire on the left with your meter to make sure it is NOT hot. If that wire is dead, with the breaker turned on, then it is most likely the hot wire to your fixture and is the "switched" hot wire.

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e1doradocaddy OP t1_jefgnvs wrote

I did as you said and you were correct. I connected the black dimmer switch wire to the black Romex wire going to the light. I connected the solid red to the black jumper going to the switch on the right. Thank you so much for the help.

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