Hotwire Power Supply
A dimmer switch without a stepdown, isolation transformer runs a serious risk of electrocution!!!!
The reason is that the dimmer switch works by chopping up the waveform rather than by reducing the peak voltage.
Handling the wires from a dimmer switch that isn't isolated is not much different than handling the wires coming directly from the outlet. It is seriously DANGEROUS!!!!
BTW most variacs are auto transformers which provide no isolation and consequently can prove lethal if you get across the output and ground.
VALKIRIE:
YOU ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.