Can a dimmer be installed in bathroom with exhaust fan?
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52201)
Staten Island, New York
October 19, 2022 10:48am CST
We are remodeling our master bathroom and hubby decided that he wants to install a dimmer for the lights we will have above the medicine cabinet. He said that when he goes to the bathroom in the morning to get ready for work he doesn’t want the bright lights shining.
Right now the existing switch we have turns on both the lights and the exhaust fan at the same time. To the right of the switch are two outlets. Replacing the switch with a dimmer one is no good because of the exhaust fan. I wonder if it is possible to have one thing that has both the two outlets and also a switch for the exhaust fan and a dimmer for the lights. Does such a thing even exist?
All the tiles have already been installed so we only have that existing switch to replace. Can’t do any more wall cutouts.
10 people like this
8 responses
@porwest (112864)
• United States
19 Oct 22
I am not an expert, but I would think you would need the dimmer to be on a different circuit than the fan. My exhaust fan has its own switch and so I can have the lights on the fan off and vice versa. If I were to put a dimmer switch on the light switch it would not affect the fan.
3 people like this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
19 Oct 22
In downstairs bathroom we have a thing that has two switches, one above the other. One is for exhaust fan and another for lights. But no dimmer. And outlet thing is somewhere else.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174590)
• United States
19 Oct 22
Yup! That's how our bathroom is set up, too. Dimmer on the lights and the exhaust fan on a different circuit.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
19 Oct 22
@DaddyEvil but is it all on one panel? If that’s the right word. If it has to be on a separate thing we can’t do it because tiles already done.
2 people like this
@kaylachan (84823)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Oct 22
You could, but I don't know how it would work electric-wise. But in theory you could separate the two circuits, but that might mean getting a bigger plate. Alternatively, you could get a smart plug/light that could be mounted in the bathroom that can be controlled remotely.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (84823)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Oct 22
@lovebuglena Yeah. I didn't think so. each thing neeeeds its own circuit. You could always install smart lights in the light fixture that can be controlled by the phone, though if the brightness of the bathroom lights is to much for hubby.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
24 Oct 22
@kaylachan maybe if we had told the guy we wanted a dimmer before he did all the tiles he may have been able to open up the wall and redo the electrical. But I didn’t unknowingly about the dimmer there at the time.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
22 Oct 22
I don’t think a dimmer is necessary in the bathroom but hubby wanted it. I told the contractor and he told me dimmer cannot be installed in our case when he looked at the electrical connection.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222624)
• United States
20 Oct 22
I'm sure an electrician can make it possible. Maybe not in the same switch but somehow.
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
22 Oct 22
Asked the contractor and he told me it can’t be done as the two are connected by one wire.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222624)
• United States
22 Oct 22
@lovebuglena And he can't make two connections??? Couldn't he run another wire to another switch?
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
24 Oct 22
@LindaOHio the electrical is done inside the wall so I’m assuming to do it he’d have to get rid of the tile and the wall to do it. I doubt it’s just where the switch is that you do the wiring.
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
19 Oct 22
My husband prefers a dimmer while I am all for bright light. Recently we got all our bathrooms renovated. We have the same switch for exhaust and light but, we can go inside and switch off the exhaust. Also our same light can turn bright or dim, we have to switch on and switch off. It has three variations..bright, warm and dim.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
22 Oct 22
The way our electrical was originally done doesn’t allow us to do a dimmer.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
24 Oct 22
@arunima25 yeah. Can’t do anything about it now.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
22 Oct 22
@lovebuglena Oh! I see. I guess then he has to adjust.
@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
19 Nov 22
A dimmer should be in one connection with the exhausted fan but should have a different switch. That means another switch for the bright light and one from dimmer light.
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
19 Nov 22
The way the initial electrical was done a dimmer was not an option for us.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
21 Nov 22
@Nakitakona yes. But nothing we can do about that.
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
21 Nov 22
@lovebuglena Of course, it is not but your hubby wanted it.
@Treborika (18194)
• Mombasa, Kenya
19 Oct 22
I take it as something worthy consulting to the relevant experts. I think they can appropriately advise on the same
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
22 Oct 22
Contractor said it can’t be done. I don’t care for a dimmer but hubby wanted it.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
24 Oct 22
@Treborika I don’t mind not having a dimmer. Hopefully, hubby doesn’t either.
1 person likes this
@Treborika (18194)
• Mombasa, Kenya
22 Oct 22
@lovebuglena It's okay let's it be the way it has been intended to be
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Oct 22
The contractor said it is not. Luckily, the lights we got are not as bright as we thought they were gonna be.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238338)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Oct 22
@lovebuglena A dimmer would be nice, though. How many bulbs are in the light? I only use two of four sockets in my bathroom. The lights are above my mirror. I don't want to see myself that clearly!
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Oct 22
@TheHorse We have a thing (not sure what it's called) that has 5 bulbs in it. It is not as bright as hubby thought they were gonna be.
@lovebuglena (52201)
• Staten Island, New York
24 Oct 22
Contractor said can’t be done so no dimmer for hubby. I’m okay without one.
1 person likes this
