- 1). Shut off the power to the circuit containing the light. Use a lock or a warning sign to keep others from turning the breaker switch back on too soon.
- 2). Remove the cover plate on the existing light switch by loosening the holding screws with a slotted screwdriver. Remove the mounting screws at the top and bottom of the switch. Slowly pull the switch away from the wall box to inspect the wiring.
- 3). Determine the electrical wiring configuration before removing the wires from the switch. A green or bare copper ground wire should be connected to the green terminal on the lower switch. Two hot wires will connect to terminals of the same color on the same side of the switch. The hot wires may both be black, or one may be black and one may be blue. Make a mental note of the hot wire colors, then loosen the terminals with a Phillips screwdriver and take off the wires.
- 4). Clip the ends off the wires removed from the old switch with wire cutters if the strands are frayed or corroded. Strip 1/2 inch of the insulation off with the blades of the wire cutters to expose fresh wire to connect to the dimmer wires.
- 5). Connect the hot wires from the wall box to the black wires on the dimmer switch. Either hot wire from the wall box can go to either of the black wires from the dimmer switch. Twist the bare wire ends together and cover the connections with wire nuts. Connect the green wire from the dimmer to the ground wire by twisting the ends together and capping the connection with a wire nut.
- 6). Push the wire connections into the wall box and secure the switch with the top and bottom mounting screws. Put the cover plate in place and tighten the holding screws. Restore power to the circuit with the breaker switch and adjust the light level with the dimmer switch.
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