Finally! It works now. The old dimmer must have been wired differently.
Thanks for your patience and your nearly-in-real-time help.
ESR
| > However, there is nothing going to the ground terminal. Is this okay? | >
| > | > The switch for the fan is nearby, but in an entirely different box. | > | >
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| > | > What happens if you connect all these wires in the switchbox together? | > | >
| > | > All the lights go on! How do I make this happen when I connect the | > wires | > | > to | > | > the switch? Mind you that these wires are all the same color, so I | > need | > | > some guidance. Thanks. | > | >
| > | > We are getting there ... | > | >
| > | >
| > | > | > Ok. Thanks. | > | > | >
| > | > | > | Second, you replaced the dimmer switch,(single pole) and | > connected | > | > the | > | > | > three | > | > | > | leads the same- single pole devices have only two wires so I'm | > | > assuming | > | > | > the | > | > | > | third wire is green and you attached to a ground connection. | > | > | >
| > | > | > Correct. | > | > | >
| > | > | > | Is there a separate switch that controls the "fan" or does it | > just | > | > work | > | > | > off a pull | > | > | > | chain switch? | > | > | >
| > | > | > There is a separate switch that controls the fan. | > | > | >
| > | > | > | I've got to many questions to give you any clear answers, | > | > | > however, in your dimmer box you should have several wires | > connected | > | > | > together | > | > | > | which bring the "hot" to these other places. | > | > | >
| > | > | > Inside the box I see lots of wires bunched together that go other | > | > places. | > | > | >
| > | > | >
| > | > | > | One side of your dimmer should attach to this group of wires. | > | > | >
| > | > | > Well, eventually out of this "nest" of wires, three leads come out | > | > that | > | > | > formerly attached to the old dimmer switch. | > | > | >
| > | > | > Then you should have a single wire which goes | > | > | > | to the light and should attach that to your other dimmer lead. | > hth, | > | > Roy | > | > | >
| > | > | > At the end, I am still with the 3 combinations that I mentioned | > | > earlier: | > | > | > no | > | > | > light anywhere, kitche light only, or basement/garage light only. | > I | > | > get | > | > | > this even if I remove the switch altogether. By why? Why | > wouldn't | > it | > | > be | > | > | > the same as when I first started? Could I have done anything | > wrong | > | > whe | > | > I | > | > | > reassambled the fan? | > | > | >
| > | > | > Thanks. | > | > | >
| > | > | > Elena Sofia Ricci | > | > | >
| > | > | >
| > | > | > | > Background: | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > The light bulbs on my kitchen fan kept blowing, one by one, | > and | > | > | > eventually | > | > | > | > none worked, not even those that I KNOW didn't blow. (I had | > | > tested | > | > | > them | > | > | > | > elsewhere, and they worked fine.) At one point I remember | > pulling | > | > on | > | > | > that | > | > | > | > thin rope that operates the light fixture, and it came right | > out. | > | > It | > | > | > | > appeared to me that I couldn't "reattach" the rope and so I | > | > decided | > | > to | > | > | > | > replace the switch. But before doing that I tested the power | > at | > | > the | > | > | > | > dimmer | > | > | > | > switch, and it appeared that the dimmer switch went out, which | > may | > | > | > have | > | > | > | > explained the "good" bulbs not working. | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > So, I replace the light fixture switch. It's a small black | > switch | > | > | > with | > | > | > | > two | > | > | > | > leads. I am pretty sure that I reassambled the fan/lights | > | > everything | > | > | > | > EXACTLY in the reverse order in which I disassembled it. It | > was | > | > | > pretty | > | > | > | > straight forward because all the white leads were congregated | > in | > | > one | > | > | > wire | > | > | > | > connector and all the black leads in the other wire connector. | > | > | > (Question: | > | > | > | > does it matter if I had reversed the connection of the two | > leads | > | > on | > | > | > the | > | > | > | > switch that I replaced?) | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > Then I replaced the dimmer switch (single pole) and connect | > the | > | > three | > | > | > | > leads | > | > | > | > coming out of the wall in the EXACT same way in which they | > were | > | > | > connected | > | > | > | > to | > | > | > | > the old dimmer switch. The lights in my kitchen worked, but | > the | > | > | > lights | > | > | > | > that | > | > | > | > lead to the basement and the garage lights DIDN'T work. They | > are | > | > | > | > obviously | > | > | > | > operated by different switches, but they are in the same | > circuit, | > | > | > | > apparently. There was no power at these other locations. I | > | > checked | > | > | > all | > | > | > | > the | > | > | > | > breakers, and they are fine; however, kitchen, basement and | > garage | > | > all | > | > | > use | > | > | > | > the same circuit breaker. | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > The leads coming out of the wall in the kitchen are all the | > same | > | > | > color, | > | > | > so | > | > | > | > I | > | > | > | > didn't know what's what (though I could have determined that | > with | > | > a | > | > | > | > volt-meter, but I wouldn't know how to interpret the results, | > | > other | > | > | > than | > | > | > | > there is juice or there isn't). So I tried all six | > combinations | > | > (i.e. | > | > | > | > three | > | > | > | > leads going to three different terminals in the switch). | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > PROBLEM: | > | > | > | > Depending on the combination in which I make my connections, I | > get | > | > (1) | > | > | > no | > | > | > | > lights anywhere, (2) lights only in the kitchen; or (3) lights | > | > only | > | > in | > | > | > the | > | > | > | > basement/garage but kitchen switch must be on. | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > When I remove the switch altogether, I get the same thing if I | > | > connect | > | > | > | > these | > | > | > | > three leads to each other, leaving one not connected. | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > I am not sure if I explained my self correctly. Thanks for | > any | > | > help | > | > | > you | > | > | > | > may | > | > | > | > be able to provide. | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > Regards, | > | > | > | >
| > | > | > | > Elena Sofia Ricci | > | > | > | >
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