Dimmer wiring question

**Riceball1** · 03-16-2020, 07:32 AM

I want to install dimmers on my ceiling lights. I have watch many videos and on all of them there are only 2 wires on the back of switch. Mine has 3 WHITE RED BROWN. How do I hook up the dimmer. I bought the same one as the video.

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**Wicked ace** · 03-16-2020, 03:25 PM

White and red are crimped together on the male connector. the brown (or black) gets crimped by itself. If the dimmer doesn't work when connected (try it before putting the panel back together) just swap the leads and try again.

**SmallBoxMaker** · 03-16-2020, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Riceball1

I want to install dimmers on my ceiling lights. I have watch many videos and on all of them there are only 2 wires on the back of switch. Mine has 3 WHITE RED BROWN. How do I hook up the dimmer. I bought the same one as the video.

Is that a lighted switch? If so, then the 3 wires are +12, Ground and a connection to the lights. You can use a voltmeter to figure out which is which.

Are you planning on replacing the switch with a dimmer or adding the dimmer between the switch and the light (which is what I did)?

And which dimmer did you buy and which video did you watch?

**Riceball1** · 03-16-2020, 06:13 PM

I would like to leave the switch. I think all I need to do is find the hot wire after switch is turned on (the wire going to light after switch) and install dimmer inline to dim light. Is that correct??

**Appfan** · 03-16-2020, 08:09 PM

I just did this last weekend. Works great.

Top (ground gets capped off)
Middle goers to red & white together
Bottom goes to black (on the dimmer)

**Riceball1** · 03-16-2020, 08:16 PM

That would be to remove lighted switch and put in dimmer. I was hoping to leave lighted switch in place and add dimmer

**SmallBoxMaker** · 03-16-2020, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by Riceball1

I was hoping to leave lighted switch in place and add dimmer

See reply #47 in this thread: https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...tions!!!/page5

I had previously installed the lighted rocker switches so I added the dimmers and kept the rockers.

**Appfan** · 03-17-2020, 04:47 AM

Originally Posted by Riceball1

That would be to remove lighted switch and put in dimmer. I was hoping to leave lighted switch in place and add dimmer

Gotcha - last night I was replying from my iPad and missed that part. Regardless, you can still wire in using the same bottom two legs to the same wires on a rotary switch. Unfortunately the only question I can't answer is which leg actually goes to the light, hopefully that should be pretty easy to sort out.

**Riceball1** · 03-18-2020, 05:19 PM

I put dimmer inline on brown wire leaving the lighted switch in place. Everything works great with the exception of when lights are full on and water pump kicks in the lights flicker for a second. It is still a great mod as lights are way to bright.

**Riceball1** · 03-22-2020, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Riceball1

I put dimmer inline on brown wire leaving the lighted switch in place. Everything works great with the exception of when lights are full on and water pump kicks in the lights flicker for a second. It is still a great mod as lights are way to bright.

I would also say when running on battery(no shore power) the light are much more troublesome. They flicker much more with water pump and when furnace runs. I would also think the air conditioner would also be a problem. Too cold here to try it.