Can you put a dimmer on a switched outlet?

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Why Avoid Dimmer Switches on Outlets?

Electrical code prohibits the use of dimmer switches when plugged into outlets for a number of reasons. Here are the main ones:

  • Threat of electrical overload: Plugging a dimmer switch into an electrical outlet can cause the outlet to be overloaded with voltage if another appliance is also plugged into the outlet. While the homeowner may know which outlets can and can’t be used if they install a dimmer, others could accidentally cause an electrical short.
  • Certain electrical loads are incompatible: Certain appliances are especially incompatible with dimmer switches and can cause serious electrical issues. These loads include motor loads, linear transformer loads, and older switching appliances. (Source: Stack Exchange)

    • In the best case scenario, adding a dimmer to an outlet will only result in a few electrical appliances that won’t work. But in the worst-case scenario, it could threaten your life.

    The National Electrical Code is a standardized set of rules for installing electrical wiring designed to help keep people safe in residences and commercial buildings. Aside from the technical difficulties of installing a dimmer to an outlet, why does the electrical code forbid dimmer switches on outlets?

    For the following reasons, the National Electrical Code forbids risky procedures like installing dimmers on outlets:

  • Standardization: One of the big reasons National Electrical Code was invented was to standardize electrical wiring in residences to be easily inspected. DIY electrical wiring run by amateurs can cause fires, so everyone who wires a home must prove that they can do it safely.
  • Safety: The main concern of electrical code inspectors is making sure that everyone using a building’s electrical wiring grid is safe while doing so. Electrical fires from electrical shortages and bad wiring account for over 24,000 reported fires each year. (Source: FireRescue1)

    • It’s wise for DIY electricians to adhere to electrical code even if you don’t anticipate having your house inspected for coding violations any time soon. The purpose of the code is not to make things harder for residential electricians. It’s to keep people from accidentally being killed.

    Dimmer Switches Should Not Be Used on Outlets

    In general, it’s a bad idea to use dimmer switches on outlets. A dimmer switch varies the voltage of the wired light fixture in pulses to make the light from the fixture brighter or dimmer. This variation can cause malfunctions in other electrical devices that are plugged into the same outlet.

    Along with the very real risk of electrical shortage and fire associated with putting a dimmer switch on an outlet, it’s also against electrical code to install a dimmer switch on a pre-existing electrical outlet. (Source: National Electrical Code) This means that your home’s electrical wiring will not pass inspection from either home insurance representatives or realtors.

    A dimmer switch is frequently installed to control the special light fixtures that have been plugged into these outlets solely for that purpose. As long as only a light fixture is plugged in, everything is fine. If you plug in an old radio or another device that needs a straight voltage, things could break down or even catch fire.

    How To Install a Dimmer | DIY

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