- 1). Turn off the power to the circuit you want to work on at your consumer unit or fuse box. If you are in any doubt, turn off all the electrical circuits or consult a qualified electrician before progressing.
- 2). Unscrew the light switch fascia that controls the light you want to be able to dim with a screwdriver. Pull the fascia away from the wall, a little. Once you have exposed the back box the switch was mounted on ensure you have a dimmer controller of a matching size. Domestic ones come in standard sizes. Before you remove the old switch, confirm the power is off by holding the tip of a non-contact voltage detector close to each screw terminal.
- 3). Remove the old fascia from the wires in the back box by unscrewing the terminals. If one of the wires connects to a terminal marked common, mark it by placing a little electrical tape over the end of the wire. Ensure each of the wires has 3/4-inch of exposed wire stripped back at the end. Connect the grounding wire to the ground terminal on the back of your dimmer controller. The controller should be clearly marked to show which the ground terminal is. In most houses the ground wire is bare, but if you are in doubt consult a qualified electrician.
- 4). Connect the remaining wires to the terminals on the back of your dimmer controller. For a single pole wiring system the terminals and wires are interchangeable. For double pole wiring there will be a third wire to connect. This will be the common wire that you have marked with tape. Ensure that this wire is connected to the terminal marked common on the back of the dimmer controller.
- 5). Push the dimmer controller over the back box and screw it in place. Turn the power back on at your consumer unit and test the lighting can be dimmed from the controller.
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