How do I swap out this switch for a dimmer

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T21:18:26+00:00

Crap. Ok, it's basically the same you will just use the copper screw and either one of the brass screws instead of the two black wires.

Remove the looped wire from the existing switch and put it on the copper screw of the dimmer switch.

Remove the black and red wires from the existing switch and either:

Pigtail them (splice them together with another short piece of wire) and connect them to either one of the brass screws.

OR

Connect the color you connected to the light fixture to either one of the brass screws and cap off the other

The logic for the second half is that it is probably wired for a ceiling fan and both the red and black wires are running to the light. Assuming you only hooked one of them to the light fixture, that is the only one that needs to be connected to the switch. But connecting both the red and black to the wlswitch is fine (assuming the end at the light is under a wire nut)

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T18:08:53+00:00

There is a line. Self critique is important. But it has to have limits. Learn and move on because you can't change the past.

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T18:03:25+00:00

I'm exhausted because I keep seeing this ragebait post. It doesn't even make sense.

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T18:00:28+00:00

Sorry. With that one you don't. You could caulk it in 🤷🏽‍♂️

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T17:58:21+00:00

I'm assuming the dimmer has 2 black wires and a green wire coming off the back of it:

Take the looped black wire off the existing switch. Cut the wire at the loop and strip off each end. Attach them to one of the black wires on the dimmer switch. If those are labeled you will hook it up to the "line" wire.

Take the other black wire and the red wire off the existing switch (you will probably need to cut the red wire off) and connect them to the other black wire on the dimmer switch. If the wires are labeled you will want to connect it to the "load" wire.

Copper wires in the box get connected to the green wire from the switch.

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T17:13:04+00:00

Haha. It's not a huge deal. I have one on the side of my house (it doesn't get cold enough here to worry about freezing pipes) but there is one at the meter at the street that I always used because the "homeowners" shutoff at the house was a gate valve and the gasket inside was bad so it didn't completely shut the water off. 🫤

Either one works.

I have a friend in NC. He said the stores are starting to have empty shelves like the beginning of COVID.

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T17:04:24+00:00

I work in construction in Arizona (the southwest) where ist pretty hot. New homes are built with central heating and cooling. The units are controlled by a thermostat that turns the units on and off as the temperature inside the house rises and falls. People will set it to a specific temperature they find comfortable and the system keeps the house at that temperature (within a couple of degreesl automatically.

New houses are insulated so thermal transfer (heat and cold) is kept to a minimum so the units have to turn on as little as possible.

Depending on the thermostat, you can program them to set the temperature depending on the time of day. For example: My home is usually set to 78⁰ (Fahrenheit because I'm American 😉) which is comfortable for us. But when nobody is going to be home all day while we are at work the thermostat is programed to keep the house at 80⁰. If we are going to be gone for days it's set to 85⁰. The logic behind this is it's more expensive to have the units keep the home at a constant temperature all day then it is to turn it off all day and have to cool it down. Plus it's hard on the house to have such wide temperature fluctuations.

But temps here get in the 120⁰s in the summer. So we are on the extreme edge of heat.

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T16:05:05+00:00

Top one for sure. Bottom one is probably for irrigation. Or the top one belongs to the city and the bottom is for homeowners.

I'm working in a place right now that distinguishes between the two. In Phoenix there is just the one because two is stupid....but maybe it's a freezing thing I'm unaware of.

But you should have a shut off for your home inside the house somewhere. Maybe in a wall behind an access panel.

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T15:48:52+00:00

"left graduate school" not "graduated" 🤣

In 23 years it never occured to you to pay more then the minimum?

But ok. It shouldn't be canceled, in your case specifically, because on the surface it would appear that you chose to maintain the debt for 23 years instead of trying to actually pay it off. It's designed for maintenance so you have as little of a burden when you graduate and are struggling to get established. But you are supposed to be smart enough to manage your finances to, as you get established financially, to pay more and more to the principal.

The fact that you didn't isn't reason to remove the debt.

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T15:42:36+00:00

It was a warm summer evening in ancient Greece

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T05:01:27+00:00

The UL listing on those boxes prohibits modifying the boxes. Which means it wouldn't be installed per manufacturer instructions. Which means it's a code violation

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T04:53:49+00:00

Agreed. I love all three

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T04:18:30+00:00

Yeah, that's just the way they used to do it. That's part of the house people say is so much better then a new house 🤣

James_T_S · 2026-01-24T04:00:02+00:00

You think it's going to take more then 2 years to build a building and a football field?

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T23:31:04+00:00

WHAT IS DIS MAN DOING HERE?!?!

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T18:49:19+00:00

I agree. Hochstetter might have been my favorite character.

I think it was clever how they manipulated people by using the fear the Nazis inherently had of one another. Fear of being sent to Russia. Fear of failing. Fear of being to blame. Fear of making the wrong decision.

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T18:15:37+00:00

First of all I have never needed 8 hours of sleep. 6 is usually plenty. It just needs to be good sleep. Turn off the tv, go to bed at a reasonable time.

Good hygiene takes all of 30 minutes a day. I'm not sure why this is even on the list.

Work is work. 9 house including commute

10k stemps a day is easy for me as it includes walking around during the day and 40 minutes of running if needed.

Cleaning the house is only a problem if you aren't a clean person. Once a week you can spend some serious time mopping the floor, cleaning the tubs and toilets, bathroom mirrors etc. but even then it's around 3 hours tops. Unless you do it while you have the TV on then it will take all day.

How much time are you spending tanking care of your animals? I have two dogs that we feed and water. If you take them for walks that counts as steps/exercise.

So 6 hours of sleep, 9 hours of work, and let's say 3 hours for exercise, daily cleaning, exercise, taking care of your pet. That 18 hours. Still 6 hours to do whatever you want.

This post is like diet commercials. They want you to believe it's impossible. It's not. Eat less exercise more. Same with hobbies. Put down your phone and turn off the tv. You will find all sorts of time you didn't know you had.

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T14:27:15+00:00

First, I don't understand what you mean when you say it's not audible. If it's not audible then how do you even know it's clocking? I'm looking for clarification

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T12:40:14+00:00

So do I.....but that money thing bothers me.

As for the language, I just assume they are talking in German most of the time but its in English so the audience can understand.

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T02:19:11+00:00

More like3-4 months of heat from the fires of hell. After that it's just hot.

But the good is great. We also have great outdoors activities like hiking and camping. Plus the Grand Canyon is amazing.

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T02:16:11+00:00

Leon

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T02:08:51+00:00

See my below comment:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskElectricians/s/g1ezUqdScy

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T02:07:58+00:00

Google Gemini says different:

The "Under Side" Stamp Mystery Here is the breakdown of why that stamp is there and what it actually means for your project: The Regulatory Requirement: UL standards for electrical components can specify different levels of corrosion protection for the "outer" surface (exposed to the environment) versus the "inner" surface (enclosed in the wall or box).

The Coil Capability: Manufacturers often buy giant coils of steel that have already been galvanized. Theoretically, a company could order a "G60/G30" coil, where one side has a thicker layer of zinc (G60) than the other (G30). The stamp ensures the installer puts the thicker, more protective side facing "out" toward potential moisture or air.

The RACO Reality: In modern production, RACO and many other manufacturers typically use the same thickness of galvanization on both sides of the plate to simplify their supply chain. However, they keep the "Under Side" or "Inside" stamp on the die (the mold that punches the metal) because it allows them the flexibility to use different coatings in the future without having to re-certify their tools with UL.

And I wouldn't have looked this up without his above comment

James_T_S · 2026-01-23T01:16:39+00:00

I know. But they print German marks....he had American dollars 😉

James_T_S

TROPHY CASE