Dimmer switches

Dimmers create ambiance and enhance your decor by creating various lighting levels in different areas of your home. They are energy efficient: they save up to 35% more energy compared to a regular switch.
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Models
Checklist
Installation

Models

Technological progress and design are an integral part of the lighting industry. There now exists several types of dimmers to accommodate all needs and uses.

The rotary dimmer

The classic rotary dimmer on which we press to turn the light on and off and that we turn to determine light's intensity is an economical buy: about $5 and easy to install.

The electronic dimmer

The electronic dimmer is virtually identical to a regular light switch. Therefore, it can be installed without changing the wall plate, can be added to a multiple wall plate or matched to a decorative wall plate. It is very useful in a child's bedroom as a internal nightlight illuminates the button.

The sliding dimmer

The sliding dimmer allows for substantial energy savings as it only consumes the wattage necessary for the selected intensity. It also has a switch which enables you to keep the selected intensity. This way, you don't have to adjust the lighting level each time you turn it on and off. The cost varies between $10 and $15.

The electronic eye dimmer

The electronic eye dimmer is perfect for the washroom or laundry room. The light automatically comes on or turns off when you go past it. To choose the light's intensity, all you have to do is stay in front of the dimmer. A switch allows you to keep the selected intensity.

Dimmers for ceiling fan motors

There are also dimmers for ceiling fan motors. Their resistance is much stronger because a motor which is starting will consume up to three times its usual electricity consumption. You can consequently adjust the speed of the ceiling fan by the dimmer and turn the fan off while keeping the selected speed with the switch.

Checklist

Before buying a dimmer, it is important to know if the light is connected to one or more switches. Check on the package for the terms single pole and three pole. If you can turn the light on by only one switch, you'll need a single pole; if you can turn it on by more than one switch, from up or down a flight of stairs for example, choose a three pole. Find out the total wattage of the lighting to be controlled then select a dimmer with and equal or higher wattage.

You'll find low voltage and regular dimmers. A regular dimmer is used with incandescent or halogen 120 volt bulbs. For a halogen or quartz lamp, use a low voltage dimmer with a magnetic transformer. If your lamp does not have a transformer and does not contain diodes, use a standard dimmer.

Installation

Even though it is an electrical project, changing a regular switch to a dimmer is a simple project to accomplish. Here are the steps to install a single pole dimmer:

When electricity is involved, be careful!

  • Turn off the electricity at the electrical box.
  • Remove the present switch and make sure the power is off before proceeding to the next step.
  • Bare the ends of the dimmer wires about 5/8 in (1 cm) with wire strippers.
  • Twist the black wire (hot) from the dimmer and the line together and cap with a wire nut. Do the same for the white wire (ground). If the switch has a ground wire (green coloured)twist together with the ground wire (bare copper) and cap with a wire nut.
  • Carefully coil and push the wires back into the switch box.
  • Fasten the dimmer with the help of two screws and turn the power on.
Once the dimmer is installed, adjust the light's intensity and take a break to admire your work!
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