I apologize for my lack of knowledge but that is why I am posting here for help. I am trying to fix a chandelier. It is a standard 8 light 120v hanging lamp with a little twist. There is an MR16 120v (not low voltage/12V) light on the bottom that shines down like a flood light on the dining table. There is a simple looking dimmer/on-off rotary switch that controls this light alone and the switch burned out. It is marked B500K and that is all. I can bypass the switch and it works but at full/too bright intensity. I need to replace the dimmer switch.

I've looked online and all I find are similar looking potentiometers made for guitar volume controls. The problem is my switch has a small circuit board attached with what are probable resistors or some sort attached but this is stuff I don't know about. If I buy a regular POT and wire it to 120V straight, I'm concerned I will burn it out immediately. Also, there are 3 poles on these ones without the circuit board and I don't know what poles to connect.

One other possible solution is to buy a rotary wall mount dimmer and remove the wall plate but it may be too big to fit. The guitar ones are very close to what I have in size and shape.

Thank you for helping!

 

The wall mount dimmer switch/ pot is a good choice for your application. You don't say how the original circuit was mounted however. The typical wall mount dimmer fits in a wall mount junction box, but you can also mount it in a stand alone outdoor type junction box if you wish.

Regards, DPW

 

Thanks. The original dimmer was mounted in the chandelier itself in a round/doughnut shaped recessed/metal box area at the bottom of the chandelier just above the MR16 light itself. Small area to be sure...about 2-3" deep by 3-4"dia.

 

A typical dimmer circuit will fit in that space...you may have to do some slight modifications to mount the unit...but nothing major.

Hope this helps, DPW

 

Thanks again...I guess it's off to Home Depot tonight.