OK - I removed my old light switch and can see that there are only 2 wires coming out of the wall to be found - 1 white and 1 black. There are absolutely no other wires that I can see back there. The dimmer switch has 2 black wires and 1 green. I'm really not sure what to do. I tried to connect the 2 black ones to the black one and the green wire to the white wire. I admit this wasn't the smartest thing, but thought I'd try. Got nothing. Any help is super appreciated.
Attach black to black and if it doesn't work just switch the two from the switch. The green is the ground wire. Attach it to a screw inside the junction box.
For one thing, first things first, TURN YOUR POWER OFF if you haven't already. All you have to do is connect the black to the black and the white to white. The green is a ground wire which allows a certain amount of protection (when installed and properly connected to a grounded metal surface/point). In many older buildings, this third wire does not exist in the wall. Without seeing your issue, I couldn't speak directly, but I wouldn't worry about the green. Cut it off or let it hang. When connecting the black and white though: PLEASE make sure you are twisting the bare wires together, screwing on a wire -nut TIGHT and then wrapping the nut and related 2 wires (black and black or white and white) in black electrical tape. If you're not familiar with or don't have the wires, wirenut connectors and tape, take the time to go get them. You REALLY need the right tools for this job. Don't take chances with electricity as a little lightning bug used to say. When you go to get the wirenuts at Home Depot or Lowes, ask the guy in Electric Dept to show you how it works. If you're still unsure, go ahead and call an electrician. It won't be that expensive and it's not something you want to get wrong.
If you don't know the basic rule of matching up the colors when wiring something, you may want to avoid doing anymore wiring projects in the future, for your own safety and to keep from destroying your stuff. First of all, turn off the power at the breaker or remove the fuse for that switch. Then: Black to Black, White to White, you can just let the green wire hang or, if you have a metal box, attach it to that. (that's your ground wire, no power goes thru it when things are working properly). Sometimes in older houses (or ones where amatures did the wiring the first time) the colors might not be correctly assigned (usually, black is hot and white is neutral) if your light only flips off and on instead of dimming like it should when you try it, you will have to switch the wires so that it is black to white and white to black (You probably won't need to do that though). Use wire nuts to connect the wires together, not just electrical tape. Good luck and be safe!
If the 2 wires you refer to ( 1 black 1 white) were connected to the switch you took out , then attach 1 black wire from the dimmer to the black wire in the box and 1 black wire from the dimmer to the white wire in the box. The green wire is always ground and should be attached to either the metal box or if it is a plastic box to the bare wires in the box. If you just have those 2 wires in the electrical box it is known as a switch loop. If it is wired properly the power is coming in on the white wire. and when it is switched to the black wire it sends power to your light. Make your connections using wire nuts. No tape is necessary when it is done correctly. Tape is only used to insulate. Good luck.
The green is your ground. You can just attach it to one of the screws or the metal mounting bracket. Your hot wires are black. Good luck!!
