Dimmer switch

This isn’t a problem with an inspection, rather it is with my own home. I went to replace a dimmer switch this morning and it had 2 black wires going to the dimmer switch. It is my understanding that one of these should be a line wire and the other a load. With this particular previous installation, both wires had voltage going to them. Does this sound right to anyone?

Thanks,

Steve

It is fine.

The dimmer is controlling the switch leg.

I’m not sure what you mean by both had voltage going to them. As measured by what means?

Just using one of those small live wire sensors that light up when it detects voltage. It lights up like crazy on both wires. So it looks like both wires that were going to the old dimmer were Line wires. Or am I missing something?

Nevermind… I just figured out what I was doing wrong. Had the sensitivity turned up all the way on the sensor…dah. Thanks Michael.

Forgot to mention that I must of turned it all the way up when I replaced the batteries in it this morning…

Non-contacts can also pick up the field from a nearby energized wire or cable. This is one of their issues, the false positive.

FWIW I have never had a false negative with one.