Light switch dilemna

[nicwan]

I have a side-by-side double switch in the kitchen and I swapped out both toggle switches with Lutron single pole dimmer switches. One dimmer switch works just fine in the dining room, but the other one to the kitchen lights didn't work. I re-installed the original toggle switch to the kitchen and it still doesn't work. It has two black wires and one green one to each switch. What did I do?! Eep!

Help would be lovely!
Nicole

[HayZee518]

the green wire is a ground that goes to the green screw on the yoke. the blacks, one of each goes to one of each on the dimmer.

[adnadeau]

If you have fluorescent lights in the kitchen, you may have damaged the fixtures and/or the bulbs with a standard dimmer.

[HayZee518]

He's correct! A flourescent fixture can only function on AC. Dimmers put out a chopped DC, that is why sometimes the standard light flicker a little. The dimmer could have burnt out the flourescent.

[596]

If the kitchen lights are fluorescent, then at a minimum, you need to replace the ballast with a dimmable rated one. It will run you about a C-note. And if your dimmer cost less than $45, you can be pretty sure it is also not rated for fluorescents