Darren - I do not pretend to be an expert - but here is what I see.
    1.  The schematic does not totally match the article
    2.  The load would go between Hot Out and Hot In.
    3.  You would supply a Neutral (white wire) to Return.
    4.  You would supply Hot (balck wirefrom power company) to Hot In
    5.  Ground (green) is a good idea.  It can be tied to Neutral (which is
done in US breaker boxes).
    6.  Vcc is generated by the circuit above the PIC (RV1, R1,2, C1-3,
D1-3)
    7.  I would take JP1 to be an external input to allow control of the
circuit by an outside source (another PIC, automation system, etc.)
    8.  While simple, a fair warning is given in the article that this
circuit has no isolation from the AC main and therefore can bite you!
    9.  If used for lighting purposes, this circuit will produce filament
hum at low light levels (larger filaments hum more)  A large choke in line
with the load will kill the hum.

David

-----Original Message-----
From: Darren King [mailto:darren.king@SYMPATICO.CA]
Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 1999 2:44 PM
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Microchip Appnote Dimmer Problem.


http://www.microchip.com/Download/Appnote/Category/rDesigns/40171a.pdf
<http://www.microchip.com/Download/Appnote/Category/rDesigns/40171a.pdf>

I have looked at the above 100 times and I'm still confused.  I don't really
want to build this circuit without understanding it.  I really hope somebody
could help with this one.  I'm not familar with the Hot in - Hot Out -Return
(White).  When I see White I know what that means.  So which of the hot in
and hot out is  supposed to be the black?  Is the green wire used?  Does the
load hook up between the Hot Out and the Return?  What is Vcc supposed to
be?  Is this where I hook up the load?  What is RV1?  As you can seem I'm
not an electronics wiz, but understanding this would help out greatly.  As
you can read, I'm really lost.

Darren King