Why does a dimmer switch have 3 wires?
Why does a dimmer switch have 3 wires?
Dimmers come in two basic wiring configurations. When installing a Dimmer switch, all you’re really doing is controlling the amount of voltage flow to a light which makes it dim at a low setting to a fully bright light at maximum setting. Now a typical circuit will contain a 3-wire cable known as romex.
Why does my light switch have 3 wires?
The 2 wire source feeds to an adjacent switch for a different light which then feeds this switch with 2 wires. The switch in question is a single pole. From it, there is 3 wire cable that leads to a light which then connects to other lights controlled by their own switches.
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.
How does a 3 way dimmer switch work?
3-Way Dimmer Switches In this setup, the light level is controlled from a single location, whichever light switch you replace with the dimmer switch. The other light switches turn the lights off and on to the level set by the dimmer. For this reason, you don’t want to dim the lights to off.
Which wire is common on 3-way switch?
Black wire
Black wire: This is a hot wire that carries electricity from the power source to the first switch in a typical 3-way setup. It’s also called the “common wire” or the “line wire.” Unless the breaker is off, this black wire is always hot.
Can I put a dimmer on a light with 3 switches?
Can you have a dimmer on a 3-way switch?
When using a 3-way dimmer switch, you should only have one dimmer on the circuit. The other switches (you can have more than one) must be on-off switches only. In this setup, the light level is controlled from a single location, whichever light switch you replace with the dimmer switch.
Can a dimmer go on a 3 way switch?
With a three-way dimmer, you can control a light with two switches. 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 two switches control a single light or a group of lights, you will need a three-way dimmer.
