15amp 1000watt dimmer gets extremely hot with 960 watt load

It could be getting hot for a number of reasons. First I would suggest not using it until the cause had been discovered and corrected.
Secondly, often times if something had recently been changed that may point to the cause and reversing that might solve the issue.
Dimmer switches work by manipulating the current flowing to your devices however some of the devices do not work well or not at all with dimmers. When the dimmer is working correctly the devices (usually lights) will noticeably dim. If they do not (which may be the case with some LEDs) they can cause problems. Also fluorescent lights especially the CFL bulbs if not rated for dimming can cause problems. Otherwise there will be a noticeable warmth at the switch because it has a heat sink built in that dissipates heat generated by the internal circuitry that controls the dimming.
You also must make sure that you have not exceeded the wattage rating of the switch. Simply add up the watts that each device uses and the total must not exceed the rating of the switch.
Finally if these tips do not reveal the cause of your problem then I would suggest contacting a licensed electrician.

Hi, William

I am going to guess I just answered your first question, about the dimmer getting warm. It gets warm because it puts resistance in front of the load (the lights) in order to lower the voltage and dim the lights.

At a 1580 max rating, you are well over the max load those seven 65 watt lamps draw. Physics and electrical theory dictate the amount of heat the switch will generate, not the Max Load rating. As mentioned in the other answer, Warm is Okay, but HOT is NOT!

Unless the switch is getting HOT, or otherwise "acting funky", you are probably just fine with it. If you decide to replace it, you will be hard-pressed to find one of that rating for a decent price.

As far as how to wire up a replacement, the wiring configuration can vary widely, some will have a white, green, red and black wire, some might have only a white and two blacks or two reds, or like the present one with one red and two blacks. The "trick" is to identify

1. The LINE (the "hot" wire),
2. the COMMON (the "neutral" wire),
3. the LOAD (the "hot" wire that goes to the lights),
4. and the GROUND (the wire that goes to the earth)

Personally, William - as I said, if it is just "warm", I'd leave it alone. A 1500 watt dimmer switch is a high load switch, and an expensive one at that. Your need (if this is the same William as the earlier question) is only a 500 watt dimmer!

The breaker (or fuse) in your house wiring will handle the dimmer switch if it goes "haywire", but will NOT protect your project if your project goes "haywire".

Yes, put a properly rated fuse or breaker AFTER the dimmer and BEFORE your project. Keep it close to the total maximum load your project will draw, and you will likely be as protected as you're going to get.

(Yes, the fuse or breaker goes on the "Hot" wire only, the juice to the load [the lights] goes through the it)

Sounds like a fun and nifty looking project, Jesse!

Dimmer should be warm... but never HOT
7 x 65 = 455 watt
Dimmers are rated 600 watt to 1500 watt

Sounds like you have bad dimmer.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Troubleshoot-household-electricity.html#heat

Gene

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

it shouldn't get hot like that with only 660 watts. are you sure that is total wattage??? if so there is a problem somewhere in the circuit

Dimmers are naturally warm.
They are meant to radiate the heat to avoid burning out.
IF the dimmer is HOT, then that is a signals trouble, and dimmer is overloaded or has gone bad. Check Load capacity rating of dimmer, and/or replace HOT dimmer.

Load is the total wattage of lights being controlled.
Ordinary dimmer from box store usually has load rating of 600 watts.
Other residential dimmers are rated up to 1800 watts, which is max for residential dimmers.
1800 Watt dimmers have special aluminum cover that looks like a heat sink, because it is a heat sink. Aluminum dissipates heat faster than other metals, so dimmers usually have special aluminum cover or they can have aluminum fins that stick out on the sides so heat radiates.

Upvote the help.
And take advantage of fixya expert assistance live.
For a price, expert works with you while you work on circuit or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

Change the dimmer or reduce the load, you are controlling 750 watts with a 600w dimmer. That is a 25% excess in load, no wonder that it is getting hot!

I have spent considerable time on the Lutron site past couple days looking at their dimmers.

Lutron has a lot of dimmer varieties. The basic breakdown is 600Watt and 1000Watt. But different dimmers control different types of lighting.
Here is the long list of Lutron dimmer manuals:
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http://www.lutron.com/Service-Support/Technical/InstallationInstructions/Pages/InstallationInstructions.aspx?syst=Dimmers+%26+Switches&prodn=Maestro%C2%AE+dimmer+%26+switch


I cannot find a specific troubleshoot manual for Lutron dimmers
So I suggest 4 things:
1) Feel the dimmer switch for heat >>> if it is getting hot (not warm), then that dimmer is dangerous, so remove dimmer immediately, add up your total bulb wattage to make sure you're below the 600 or 1000 watt capacity of you model dimmer
2) Look at the list of manuals shown at link, and make sure your dimmer matches the type of bulb you are using. Your dimmer model number and wattage should be printed on side or back of dimmer.
3) These dimmers use electronics to control the lights. Electronics go bad. The higher the wattage controlled by your dimmer, the more heat, and the shorter the dimmer life.
4) Short in the wires. Replace your dimmer with one from Home Depot and see if the condition persists. If it does, then a short is probably somewhere in that circuit. Troubleshooting a short is another long answer that needs more wiring detail ... please repost if you have a short.

If your wallplate is hot, that is a sign of trouble, and possible electrical fire. That dimmer is not made for the load, or it is going bad.

Turn off the dimmer immediately. Do not use the dimmer at all. Replace with a wall switch until you have the correct dimmer.

Each dimmer is rated for Watts. Ordinary electrical switch is rated by amps. Ordinary 15 Amp electrical switch can handle up to 1400 Watts. This means 14 - 100 watt bulbs.

Dimmers are usually not rated for 1400 Watts. They have 500-600 Watt rating. Look at the side of your dimmer for Wattage information that is usually printed on dimmer.

Heavier-duty dimmers cost more and can carry more wattage. Some dimmers carry up to 1800 watts. These kinds of dimmers have aluminum heat sink visible right on the face of dimmer.

In any case, your dimmer is an electrical fire hazard and should be replaced. Add up total wattage of your lights, and read new dimmer package when buying.

Up-vote if this information is helpful. Thanks for the feedback.

If the switch is rated at 600 watts and you have six 100 watt lamps connected to the switch, you are at the capacity of the switch and heating would be expected. It's general practice to not place loads on a device that will exceed 80% of the device's ratings, in this case 480 watts.

Some heating in a dimmer switch is not unusual, but if it's hot, it should be replaced with a device with a higher rating or the loads should be divided. You could also lower the wattage of the lamps (to around 75 watt each) unless you would lose too much light.

If the sockets in the fixtures can be lowered closer to the surface of the fixture, you can probably reduce the wattage since more light will exit the fixture. You will also save a few bucks with less wattage. Lastly, check the fixtures themselves and see if they are rated for the wattage of the lamps you have in them.