Installing 12v dimmer for overhead lighting

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rollingblunder

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Feb 19, 2012
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Hello -
Is there a simple way to determine whether a "High Side" switch or "Low Side" switch is required to replace existing simple on off switch to overhead lighting in living area of 2017 Motorhome? 12v power to lights.
Thanks for any input.
 
I'm not sure exactly what you are asking.. but I changed out all my overhead bulbs to LED and installed a rotary dimmer switch like this on the 12 volt supply line.

 

 

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rollingblunder said:
Hello -
Is there a simple way to determine whether a "High Side" switch or "Low Side" switch is required to replace existing simple on off switch to overhead lighting in living area of 2017 Motorhome? 12v power to lights.
Thanks for any input.
Click to expand...
I am retired from being a career electrician and I have never heard of high side or low side switches. You should be a bit more specific.
 
This is a common answer I am getting to this conundrum. The slide dimmer switch offered by the RV switch people in RVland (Elkhart)
in either high side or low side - it has to do with the way the current flows. Source to load to ground or Source to ground to load something like that  - it is really confusing reading about this from online sources. The supplier is insistent that it makes a difference.

I thought the on off rocker just does that and the slide obviously increase or decreases when on. And I also thought the switch would be as simple an interrupter from the source as any other, But the more I learn, the more confused I get.

Thanks so far
 
I get high & low side terminology, but not sure why it would make a difference in a 12vd circuit.  In any case, the on/off switch will surely be on the high (+12v) side.

A 2017 motorhome probably has led lighting. If so, it may or may not be dimmable, depending on the type of leds used.  The dimmer needs to be the PWM (pulse-width-modulated) type rather than a rheostat (resistance type).  Leds are very voltage sensitive and if the voltage drops below their design threshold, they either blink slowly or simply turn off.  The better ones are designed to handle a fairly broad voltage range and can be dimmed somewhat.


It's also possible they are fluorescent lights, which are rarely dimmable.
If they are traditional incandescent bulbs, any type of dimmer should work.
 
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