Installing a dimmer switch?

Question

We are trying to move a light switch as we took out a wall and are relocating it next to the light switch for our back door light. We had it working but it would not turn off now we cannot get it to work at all. We are hooking it up to a dimmer switch. The back door light works fine - it turns on and off (on seperate switch). The wiring for the dimmer and new fixture comes off of the same power for the other switch. Where are we going wrong. We have 3 blacks 3 whites plus the light fixture. We have tried many combos but none seem to be working. Any suggestions????

Thanks so much.

Answer 1

If everything works fine with a regular switch, then the dimmer switch has a problem or you are trying to dim fluorescent bulbs which can't be done.  Don't suppose you have a 3-way dimmer switch do you?

Answer 2

Well did you make sure that the switch that you purchased is capable of dealing with the amount of wattage that is going to be run to it?  

Answer 3

The white wires should all just pass through (no switching).  The hot side of the black (from the panel) go to one side of the dimmer or switch, and the downstream (on the way to the fixture) black goes to the other side of its dimmer (or switch).  It's pretty simple.

If that doesn't work, the dimmer might be bad.  If you wire the dimmer where the switch used to be, you can verify whether the dimmer is working (since the back door light still works).

Just a check... this is not a flurorescent fixture/lamp, is it?  Most dimmers won't work well with fluorescent lamps.