I'm trying to change a light switch that has a dimmer on it.?

When I pulled off the existing light switch it had 2 black wires, and a red wire attached to it. The wires coming out of the wall were 1 black wire, a red wire and a white wire and bare bronze wire.



The old switch did not have anything connecting to the bronze wire.



My new switch has 2 black wires and a green wire. Can someone tell me what gets hooked up to what and is it ok to have a wire coming from the wall that is not connected?
I'm trying to change a light switch that has a dimmer on it.?
You got the wrong switch. Your original switch is a 3-way that allows the light or fan to be controlled from a second location, such as the switches at the top and bottom of a staircase or at either end of a hallway. The bare wire in the wall is your ground. It will attach to the green wire or grounding screw.
I'm trying to change a light switch that has a dimmer on it.?
If answer # 1 turns out to be incorrect, which it may, then you need to think that the original installation had something different in mind while wiring the switch, perhaps a ceiling fan which may require two different controls; one for a light and one for a fan.

The point is this: If you are in doubt AND ARE UNABLE TO COMPLETELY DETERMINE the total process of wiring any other device than the original, then you should ask a pro. This kind of stuff happens all the time, and as a former electrician, I can tell you that lives can and have been lost by this. Just make absolutely sure you know everything about the system before you add, replace or change anything.

Peace out.
Ok. Now. Can you operate this light from two different places? It could be a 3 way switch. Are the wires coming out of the wall connected to anything? If not, then it is a 3 way. That mean the dimmer you have is the wrong dimmer. You have a single pole dimmer with 2 black and 1 green. You need a dimmer with 2 black and a red wire (sometimes there yellow)



OR



You wrote 2 blacks wires and a red attached. How many black wires are in the box itself? It could not be a 3 way that could be a single pole. Then I would hook 1 black to blacks and 1 black to the red. The white coming out of the wall, is that attached to anything? I think I would need more info. or a pic or something.



Sorry.

Tommy.

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