Hi
I have a dimmer switch that controls my ceiling fan but it hums like crazy. I want to change it to a toggle switch. When I open the box there are two black wires that are connected to the dimmer and the white is coiled up inside and marreted not hooked to anything. How do I change this as I thought you needed a white and a black plus ground on the switch.
Thanks

Dave, July 2009

first of all you should not be controlling your fan with a dimmer switch are you in GB

BILL, July 2009

You are in the US I guess - Black is Hot - A simple, single pole switch has Hot going in on one terminal and when the switch is thrown, Hot coming out on the other terminal - The switch interrupts the Hot (Live) wire.

The White/Common/Neutral wire never connects to a single pole switch but usually does to a double pole switch.

If there's an Earth wire, in the UK it usually connects to the metal wall box the switch id fixed into - if the switch has a metal front plate that too often has an Earth terminal.

I am not surprised that the dimmer is singing to you - I don't think they're designed to run motors.

Peccavi, July 2009