electrical problem in our house. What did i do wrong...

[The Stigenator]

So.. i came home last night and mom and dad told me that a dimmer in their bathroom isnt working. It is one of those push on / push off dimmers which rotate.

So i went to home depot and got a new dimmer switch. The old dimmer switch is and the newer switch are matched in specifications.

Here is the problem. THe old one has 2 wires.. one that connected to a 'blue' line and another to a black line.

The new one has 3 wires. 2 black and 1 green. I connected one black and one green. It doesnt work. Does the 2nd black also have to be connected with the other black? or should i switch the black wires?

I hate working with AC current, its a pain in the butt and i got to kill the whole house before i can work on it.

 

[BillGates]

you used your ground.... use the two blacks

 

[dartworth]

I would hire a licensed electrician before you kill someone or burn the house down.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: dartworth
I would hire a licensed electrician before you kill someone or burn the house down.

 

[bctbct]

a. you're not going to kill anyone
b. you're not going to burn the house down
c. dont be like the other pussies, DIY


edit, WTF a dimmer in the bathroom?

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: bctbct
a. you're not going to kill anyone
b. you're not going to burn the house down
c. dont be like the other pussies, DIY


edit, WTF a dimmer in the bathroom?

Viagra is a helluva drug.

 

[Thorny]

Originally posted by: bctbct
a. you're not going to kill anyone
b. you're not going to burn the house down
c. dont be like the other pussies, DIY


edit, WTF a dimmer in the bathroom?

I've got a dimmer in both of bathrooms on the vanity mirror. Makes good nightlights for the kids.

OP, use the black wires and ignore the green.

 

[The Stigenator]

Originally posted by: BillGates
you used your ground.... use the two blacks

so use both blacks on the ground side..

okie dokie.. i will do so tomorrow.

 

[The Stigenator]

Originally posted by: Thorny

Originally posted by: bctbct
a. you're not going to kill anyone
b. you're not going to burn the house down
c. dont be like the other pussies, DIY


edit, WTF a dimmer in the bathroom?

I've got a dimmer in both of bathrooms on the vanity mirror. Makes good nightlights for the kids.

OP, use the black wires and ignore the green.

are you sure? use both black wires and ignore the green? THe two blacks are coming out of one hole, the green one is on the other hole. I matched up the two wires (on how they were wired).

I normally dont have problems replacing stuff its just that this is the 2nd time this bathroom fixture (there is another one in another bathroom) that has gone bad. That one had 4 wires... and i got it wrong the first time. A family friend fixed it later (i had to leave for nor.cal)

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: TheGoodGuy

Originally posted by: BillGates
you used your ground.... use the two blacks

so use both blacks on the ground side..

okie dokie.. i will do so tomorrow.

NO!

Black to Black
Black to Blue
Green left open, or screwed to the box

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: TheGoodGuy

Originally posted by: Thorny

Originally posted by: bctbct
a. you're not going to kill anyone
b. you're not going to burn the house down
c. dont be like the other pussies, DIY


edit, WTF a dimmer in the bathroom?

I've got a dimmer in both of bathrooms on the vanity mirror. Makes good nightlights for the kids.

OP, use the black wires and ignore the green.

are you sure? use both black wires and ignore the green? THe two blacks are coming out of one hole, the green one is on the other hole. I matched up the two wires (on how they were wired).

I normally dont have problems replacing stuff its just that this is the 2nd time this bathroom fixture (there is another one in another bathroom) that has gone bad. That one had 4 wires... and i got it wrong the first time. A family friend fixed it later (i had to leave for nor.cal)

You should be connecting each of the black wires to the existing wires in the box. The green wire is a ground and should connect to a ground wire (normally copper) if it exists.
Look here.

 

[mrjminer]

There are only a few combinations.. you're a guy and you didn't try all of them out?

 

[Ragnarok2]

Originally posted by: dartworth
I would hire a licensed electrician before you kill someone or burn the house down.

You would. But he will do a task that takes 5 minutes himself and save himself $400.

 

[KK]

also dont worry bout turning the breaker off. just be careful.

 

[The Stigenator]

****** one of the wires was alumninum... the one i connected a green wire to..

should i get an alumninum device.. instead of a copper one..

ugh i hate this house.. i told my parents to sell it.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: KK
also dont worry bout turning the breaker off. just be careful.

LOL

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: TheGoodGuy
****** one of the wires was alumninum... the one i connected a green wire to..

should i get an alumninum device.. instead of a copper one..

ugh i hate this house.. i told my parents to sell it.

Must be an old house! My first house had aluminum wiring and it was built in 1931.

That stuff is dangerous and prone to start fires

 

[BillGates]

This thread is insane...besides replacing a light bulb, wiring a single pole switch is probably the easiest electrical procedure there is.

 

[FoBoT]

just leave the wires dangling, tell them to touch them together, when they are dry, they'll get one level of lighting, and when they are wet, they'll get a brighter level of lighting
it is just like a dimmer switch