So I cannot get that darned dimmer switch out, but I’m hoping the penetrating oil overnight will give me a second breath. I twisted the knob 6,000 times in hopes it would clean the contacts or something. I jiggled this, this n’that in hopes something would reconnect. Nope. However it may not matter now, see below...
In the meantime, I picked up a multimeter, which has made for a humiliating experience in the privacy of my own garage. I know nothing about electricity, currents, circuitry, wiring... Which I suppose is totally unacceptable for a man my age, but it’s true. So anyway, even after a detailed tutorial from my BIL, so far my conclusion is “shit’s broke, dawg.”
However, I did determine that the bulbs I pulled have uhhhh continuity? They should work? They have “positive Omega symbols?” They “contain ohmmmmms?”
Perhaps more damning: I removed the wires going to the dimmer switch and touched them together. This works as both a test and a bypass... probably. Still no lights.
Later with my new multimeter, I test the connection between the two with the...
[reads notes]
Uhhh.. “DEEEE CEEEEE” ... “Twelve Veeeees...?” The reading was zero.
Dun-dun-dunnnnnnnnn...
Anywho, thanks for all the helpful replies earlier! I so how I just find a random cut somewhere in one of the two wires in question... I’ll let you know.