Dimmer switch problem.

[ancora]

Tryin' to install a dimmer switch for LED lights. The lights have an on-off switch with one positive wire and one negative wire. The dimmer switch has two input wires and two output wires. How do I wire it in with only two input and no output wires?

 

[Donna]

I just did this. You need to get a dimmer switch that works with LEDS. You will also need an led that can handle being dimmed. Yes there is a difference. I found this out the hard way after I purchased all the wrong stuff. Very frustrating.

 

[ancora]

I have the proper dimmer switch for the dimmable LED lights I installed. My problem is that the on-off switch I am replacing has two wires and the new dimmer switch has four wires.

 

[Lou_tribal]

Post a picture of the back of your new switch it will help.

ALso is it on your 110v or 12v circuit?

L.

 

[ancora]

12 volt DC circuit. Dimmer has a black and a red wire "in" and a black and red wire "out." It is a Taiwan boat so there is no color coding or schematic.

 

[Bob Cofer]

The on/off switch was only breaking the positive side of the circuit and most likely there is no negative lead at the switch. You will need to get the negative lead down to the switch from both the light and the source.

 

[stubones99]

Red and black In circuit are your 12vdc power and ground, respectively.

Red and black Out circuit will go to your LEDs. Make sure to keep them on the right polarization since they are light emitting Diodes after all. Diodes only pass current in one direction and too much reverse will smoke them.

There are two ways to dim LEDs, one is current limiting and the other is pulse width modulation. If you take a video of your boat with the LED lights on, and they appear to strobe on and off sporadically, that means your dimmer is a PWM dimmer. A current limiting dimmer won't do that. The strobe effect is too fast for your eyes to see but lowers the average light output with the on time ratio is low.