The two black wires connecting to the black leading to the switch are supplying power to the switch/dimmer. The blue wire from the switch connected to the other black wire is the switched-hot going to the light.
What does L1 L2 and C mean on a dimmer switch?
The wire(s) fitted in the “common” terminal of the old switch should be fitted into the “C” terminal of the dimmerswitch. The wires fitted into the other two terminals of the old switch should be fitted either way round into terminals “L1” and “L2” of the dimmerswitch.
Why does my dimmer switch have 4 wires?
Since the switch cuts the power on and off, there will be a black wire coming into the switch and a black wire leaving. The whites are normally just connected together with a wire nut and the coppers are connected together with a wire nut or grounded to a metal junction box. So the new switch has four wires.
Why does my dimmer switch have 3 wires?
A 3-wire NM connects the travelers of the dimmer to the travelers of the 3-way switch. Traveler wires are interchangeable on each switch.
How do you wire a Lutron dimmer switch?
Next connect the black dimmer wire to the common wire that you marked with electrical tape remove the tape then connect the remaining dimmer wires to the remaining wall box wires.
Which wire is hot if both are black?
Here’s a rundown of electrical wires: The black wire is the “hot” wire, it carries the electricity from the breaker panel into the switch or light source. The white wire is the “neutral” wire, it takes any unused electricity and current and sends it back to the breaker panel.
What wire goes to L1 and L2?
The yellow wire goes into the common terminal, red goes into the L1 terminal and blue goes into the L2 terminal. The grey wire goes in the common terminal, the brown wire goes in the L1 terminal and the black wire goes in the L2 terminal.
What does C stand for on a dimmer switch?
A one way light switch has two terminals which is a common marked as COM or C. The common is for the live wire that supplies the input voltage to the switch. The other terminal is marked as L1 and is the output to the light fixture.
Where do the wires go on a dimmer switch?
Now the new dimmer switch has got you turn it over it's got four terminals is the 18 terminal l1 come on in the middle and l2 on the side as this is two-way what we connect it as a one-way.
How do you wire a 3 way Lutron dimmer switch?
First connect the green wire of the dimmer to the ground wire in the wall with the yellow wire nut provided in the packaging. The ground wire will be bare copper or green in color.
Is wiring different for dimmer switches?
New dimmers have either a green grounding wire or a green ground screw that you’ll have to connect to a grounding source if one is available. Houses wired with plastic-sheathed cable almost always have bare copper ground wires that you’ll connect to the toggle dimmer switch.
How do you wire a Leviton 3 way dimmer switch?
Begin by inserting the bare copper ground wire under the green terminal screw on the dimmer. And tighten the screw. Firmly. Next take the common wire the one marked with a piece of electrical tape.
Can you make a 3-way switch with 2 wires?
Question: Can I use a 3-way switch with just two wires? Answer: No.There must be three wires between the two switches. You CAN use the switch with only two wires, but it will act as a regular switch, not a three-way switch.
How do you wire a dimmer switch with two black wires?
Cap. Next connect the two remaining wires from the old switch to the two black wires on the new control it doesn't matter which black wire you choose because they're interchangeable.
What is the red wire on a dimmer switch?
Red is the switched lead (or a traveler in a 3-way installation), and is attached to the switched hot going to the light. Red with white is a traveler, used for 3-way installations. In your situation, you’ll just cap this one off. Green is ground, and is attached to the grounding conductor.
Can I put the red and black wires together?
These wires are typically used for switch wiring as well as the interconnection between smoke detectors hard-wired into the power system. You can link two red wires together, or you can link a red wire to a black wire. Since red wires conduct current, they are considered hot.
Can red and white wires go together?
In the US, the answer would be no, even though I am reluctant to answer this. White is not aggressive. White is neutral, black is 120, green is ground, and red is the other phase of the mains into your house.
Are red and black wires interchangeable?
Red and black wires are current-bearing, and their positions are interchangeable.
What happens if red and black wires are reversed?
If you accidentally reverse these wires the device you plug in to the receptacle may “work” but it is unsafe and risks a short circuit, shock, or fire.
What would happen if you switched the black and red wires?
If you switch the red and black speaker wires, all that happens is that the drivers push out instead of pulling in (and vice versa).
Can you pigtail red and black wires?
When making a pigtail, choose a scrap of wire with insulation that is the same color as the circuit wires you are connecting: white pigtails when connecting to neutral wires, red or black when connecting to hot wires, green or bare copper when connecting to grounding wires.
Are red and black wires both hot?
240-Volt Circuits Also Have Red Wires
In this case, both the red and black wires are hot and connect directly to the circuit breaker in the main panel.
What is the extra red wire for?
A red wire up in the ceiling fan junction box usually indicates that the wiring has been installed which provides separate switch for the light and a separate switch for the fan motor. If your ceiling fan does not have a light fixture, then simply cap off the red wire and attach the fan motor to the black wire.
Why do I have two red wires in my light switch?
When a light is controlled from two locations, you need a switch called a 3-way. A basic 3-way switch has a black wire or connector, called a common, and two traveler wires, usually black, red or blue. The two travelers may be the same color or different colors, but the switch itself will usually be marked.
What happens if you reverse hot and neutral wires?
One common issue with electrical outlets is reverse polarity, also known as “hot-neutral reversed.” In this condition, the outlet has been wired incorrectly, altering the flow of electricity. While the outlet will still be able to provide power to your electrical items, it is also present a greater shock hazard.
What happens if you wire a light switch wrong?
But here’s the catch: If you connect the circuit wires to the wrong terminals on an outlet, the outlet will still work, but the polarity will be backward. When this happens, a lamp, for example, will have its bulb socket sleeve energized rather than the little tab inside the socket.
