Kompare.Us

I went to Target to pick up CF bulbs for out overhead lights in th living room and kitchen.  I discovered that there are such a thing as dimmable CF bulbs.  Neat!  Anya wanted our living room dimmable.  So I bought some for the living room and regular non-dimmable for the kitchen.

I then went to the harware store to get a dimmer switch.  I picked one up.

I get home and put in all of the bulbs.  Turned on the lights to make sure they work.  Perfect.  The next step is to find the breaker that the living room lights are on.  Our builder did not mark our box (this is actually a building code violation).  Anyway, I find it.  Off it goes.  Now to replace the switch.

I’m always a little weary about electrical work.  I know it can kill, so I try not to mess with it too much.  But I know the correct breaker is off.  So I mark the wires, take out the old switch and install the new.

Now, the moment of truth:  flipping the breaker back on.  ZAP!  I blow the main breaker.  #%@%!!!  I wired it wrong!  And the power is out in our entire unit.  I turn off the Living room breaker off, and reset the main breaker.  Nothing…

Double &^@#!!! I Totally blew the main breaker.  It needs to be replaced.  So I call an electrician to get emergency service, and waited for a callback.  After about 10 minutes, I go down to the condo’s basement to find the breaker for our unit.  When I get there, I discover that breaker flipped.  Duh!  I reset that one and our meter starts moving again.  Whew.

I call the electrician again to confess my sins.  I’ll call them Tuesday to have a professional install my dimmer.  I looked a little closer at the dimmer switch and I bought the wrong one: a one-way dimmer.  I have a 3-way circuit.  I’m still getting a pro.  I don’t want to cause more damage, or get zapped.  I’ve had enough excitement.