The light is off and when you put the switch down the light comes on. The switch and dimmer work fine but the operation of the switch is reversed.
![Fixing A Reversing Light How A Car Works](https://www.howacarworks.com/illustration/1868/reversing-light-switches.png)
Fixing A Reversing Light How A Car Works
Light switch works backwards. If it is a single pole and not a decora style it should have on and off printed on it and would be impossible to reverse the function. Please dont think i am prejudice. Ligh switch works backwards. Moving the switch lever to the down position turns the lights on. It works but the onoff switch is reversed. A light switch is a single pole switch.
I tried switching the 2 black wire that are connected to the switch but still wrong. I have just put recess lighting in my basement. If the connections to the switch look good then replace the switch in question and carefully put everything back together as it was. You can reverse the wires and it will work exactly the same way. Hj mar 22 2011. With the switch mounted in the upright position.
The only way to change the orientation of whether it is on or off is by physically reversing. Kari you can monitor the switch and see if it no longer gets warm and dave see if the switch now works without beating on it. Down is on and up is off mini dimmer beside switch is correct. Going back to the switches all the white wires in each junction boxes are pigtailed with a wire connector and the ground wires properly grounded to the junction boxes and the switches if possible. The operation of the dimmer is correct in that position moving the dimmer slider up brightens the lights down dims the lights. Moving the switch lever to the up position turns the lights off.
Lights get brighter when you slide it up. When the switch is in the off position the lights are on and visa versa. Restore power and see if you have fixed the problem. Look at the switch. Then the black or darkest terminal is connected to a black wire that feeds to the light fixture to get connected on the hot contact on the fixture while the white goes to the socket sleeve of the switch. But you are describing a three way switch and the other one was used to turn the light on or off which reversed the function of the one you usually use.