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Do you need a 3 wire for a dimmer?
You will need a three-way dimmer and a three-way switch. This lets you dim from one location and turn the lights on and off from another. If only one switch controls the light, purchase a single-pole dimmer. If two switches control a single light or a group of lights, you will need a three-way dimmer.
What are the 3 wires on a dimmer switch?
Single pole switches will have 3 wires: a hot lead wire, a ground wire, and a traveler wire. Older homes may only have a hot lead and a ground wire. If you have less than three wires, stop and call an electrician.
Can any 12V LED be dimmed?
Not all LED lights are dimmable, so you need to take a look at a few things to make sure you have a dimmable bulb to start: If it is an older dimmer, it was most likely designed for higher wattage lighting and will not work with low-wattage LED bulbs. You will need to choose a different dimmer in these cases….
How do you dim a 12 volt LED?
Simply connect the two output wires from the power supply to the dimmer unit, and then the two input wires from the LED strip. The dimmer simply acts like a valve, and the power supply unit will automatically provide the rated current and voltage to depending on the dimmer’s knob position.
Does it matter which wire goes where on a dimmer switch?
Unless the new dimmer is specifically marked with LINE and LOAD or similar, it doesn’t matter which wire goes to which screw/pigtail in a simple two wire switch or dimmer. Since your new switch can be used as a three way, the instructions should say which screw should not be used.
How many wires do I need for a dimmer switch?
Attach the Dimmer Switch There will be three wires: one black, one white, and a separate ground wire that may be bare copper or is sometimes wrapped in green.
How are dimmer switches wired?
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 does a 12V dimmer switch work?
When a light is dimmed, it’s being turned on and off rapidly, 120 times per second. A PWM dimmer instead chops up the steady 12V current, turning it rapidly off and on for different periods of time, depending on how dim the light should be.
Can you put a dimmer switch on any light?
A dimmer switch can be installed anywhere that an existing on or off switch is in place. Replacing the current toggle switch with a dimmer switch will allow you to change the lights’ brightness, so long as you are using a light bulb that is compatible with the dimmer you have chosen.
How can I tell if my dimmer switch is LED compatible?
The best way to see if your current dimmer is LED compatible is to check the minimum and maximum load range of the switch itself.
How do I make my lights dimmer?
What can I do to make sure my light bulbs dim properly? Make sure your LED light bulbs are dimmable. Upgrade your dimming circuit from leading edge to LED-ready trailing edge. Use a compatible dimmer. Move to a non-dimmable circuit. Ensure that all your light bulbs are of the same type and from the same manufacturer.
Can 120V dimmer switch work for 12V?
Almost certainly no. 120 VAC dimmer switchers are AC devices. They turn off and only conduct for part of the AC cycle.
What happens if I wire a dimmer switch backwards?
A light switch is a simple device with only two states, competing a circuit (On) or breaking a circuit (Off). It is a series control element is a series – parallel circuit design. A light switch has no polarization so when you reverse the connections on the light switch it works just as before you reversed the wires.
Are dimmer switches wired differently?
Unlike standard switches, most dimmer switches have wire leads that are connected to the circuit wires with wire connectors, rather than using screw terminal connections.
Do you need a red wire for a dimmer switch?
The word Dimmer is a function of the switch. Red is the switched lead (or 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.
Do dimmer switches need a neutral wire?
Since most Insteon-compatible wall switches and dimmers require a neutral wire connection to operate, you need to know if you have one of these in place. It’s not just Insteon switches and dimmers but most smart lighting in general that call for this neutral wire.
