I want to install a single-pole dimmer switch for a series of 4 pot lights in the same box (double gang) as a kill switch for a receptical already installed. There is a 14-3 wire (b/w/r/g) brigning power into the box from the main, and 14-2 wiring for the dimmer and 14-2 wire for the kill switch. How do I wire this? The single pole dimmer has a ground and two black wires. The switch to kill the receptical has only two brass screws on one side.
First of all cut the red wire back out of the way, it will not be used. Next route the incoming power black wire to the kill switch, same black wire continues out the other screw from the kill switch to the dimmer, no it does not matter which screw which black wire goes on. Then the black will go to each pot light and continue on to the next one etc. So you will have two black power and one light lead connected together at each box except for the last one. Same for the white wire. This will turn all the lights on and off at the same time and they will be parallel wired so they will all have the same brightness.
Before you go cutting any wires, please verify what each is to/for. I am concerned that the 14-3 is not the incoming from the panel. There is a chance for 2 other possibilities: 1) The power is fed from the light fixture (using the 14-3). If this is the case, the black will be the constant hot and the red will be the switched power returning to the fixture. 2) The 14-3 is actually the wire to the receptacle for a half-hot (half switched receptacle). If I am wrong, then so be it. If I am correct it will totally change how this gets connected. If you have already cut that red wire, you'll be regretting it.
Double Pole Dimmer Switch
Wires that have continual power are called source wires. One of the source wires (any color other than white or green) should be hooked up to one of the brass screws on your kill switch. The other brass screw will have the wire going to the receptacle. NOTE: A switch is used to connect/break the connection of power going to an appliance/fixture. The other source wire will go to one of the black wires on your dimmer switch. The other black wire on the dimmer switch will go to the 4 pot lights as its source, in which we call a switch leg. The ground wire of the dimmer switch is hooked to the ground wire in the box. No white or neutral wires are needed for this...Test the wires first so that you know what wire is for what. Then, make sure you turn off all power so that you don't damage the dimmer switch.
