# Light Switch Reversed.. Up is Off.. down is on



## caseynshan (Feb 5, 2011)

1923 House.
Dimmer in Kitchen (5 dimmable flood lights) went out.

Went to Home Depot and bought new dimmer (boucht CFL compatible dimmer as tried CFL floods before and they only lasted a few weeks)

Hooked up same way as before.. (took picture and my wife double checked) (3 black wires on top right / 1 Red wire on bottom right)

It works, but the On/Off switch is reversed.. Down is on and Up is off

mini dimmer beside switch is correct.. lights get brighter when you slide it up.

Any ideas?


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## k_buz (Mar 22, 2012)

Did this dimmer have 3 screws on the sides? or a black, 2 red, and a green wire coming off it?

I think you bought a 3 way dimmer or one that could be used as one.


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## plummen (Jan 10, 2010)

Flip the switch over


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

Can you post the photo of this dimmer and the model number as well ?

Merci,
Marc


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

Sounds like a 3 way dimmer. Move the wire connected to the terminal not marked "common" to the other terminal.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

rjniles said:


> Sounds like a 3 way dimmer. Move the wire connected to the terminal not marked "common" to the other terminal.


Or just go find the other switch and flip it. :whistling2:


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## mpoulton (Jul 23, 2009)

If it's a 3-way installation (another switch also controls this light), then there is no "up" or "down". Flipping the other switch will make it so that this switch is up when the light is on.


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## SPC 17 (Jul 12, 2014)

I just had to switch a dead dimmer out and when I installed the new one, I had the same problem; the switch was reversed. Well, I had installed the new dimmer exactly as the old one I removed, and that was my mistake. The old one had both wires on one side of the switch, but after re-reading the directions, I moved one wire to the opposite side of the switch and that works. 

Hope this helps.


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## Jump-start (Sep 26, 2012)

This thread is over 2 years old.


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## SPC 17 (Jul 12, 2014)

Yup But I just found it with a google search and it was useful. So I thought I could add to it for the next googlers.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Thanks for waking this one up--you reminded me that the French Electrician has not been on in a while---He got married --I hope that he's doing well---


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

He got hurt badly. I think his wife posted updates when it happened.


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