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mr78rpm t1_j1f42y0 wrote

This is not for a 3-way switch.

IF (BIG IF) this was previously wired exactly right, the bare wire (ground) is properly wired. The two blacks SHOULD be power into the switch and power on to another device. The single black wire should be hot to the light's hot lead.

I'm concerned that maybe the previous person made this work but got the colors wrong, creating a shock hazard.

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Affectionate_Cronut OP t1_j1f5v62 wrote

The dimmer switch that was here came wired from the original modular home builder, a little more than 20 years ago. There were 2 black unmarked wires coming from the back of the sealed dimmer switch, one wired to the single black wire in the box, and the other wired to the pair of black wires. There was no place to screw the ground wire, but it was inserted through a hole in a metal tab, and twisted to itself.

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boxsterguy t1_j1f92e0 wrote

Sounds pretty normal. For a single pole switch, line and load are interchangeable. Without a neutral in the box (actually I lied - there is a neutral in the box, but you can just ignore it; tuck it deep in the back of the box), there's nothing to confuse or do wrong. Ground to ground. One of the black lines to one of the gold-colored posts, the other black line to the other post (you'll want a pigtail for the line that is two twisted-together black wires). Differentiating line vs load only matters if you're using a smart switch or 3-way switch (two switches control one light).

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