Wiring – A dimmer onto a circuit that controls the top receptacle of 2 plugs and also two led pot lights

There doesn't appear to be a grounded (neutral) conductor in the box. Looks like it's a simple switch loop, that somebody tried installing a combination receptacle on. It looks like the black wire is an ungrounded (hot) conductor, and the white wire is a switched ungrounded (hot) conductor.

There's no way to add a receptacle here, unless you pull a grounded (neutral) conductor to the box.

The top black screw on the device (middle of side one), is the ungrounded (hot) conductor going to the switch. This screw is connected to the bottom black terminal via the copper tab, which provides power to the receptacle. The top black screw is also connected to the upper brass screw through the switch. When the switch is closed, electricity can flow "in through the black screw and "out" through the upper brass screw. This supplies switched power to the light fixture.

The middle screw on the other side of the device, appears to be a grounding screw. The lower screw is where the grounded (neutral) conductor should be attached. This provides the grounded (neutral) connection, which is required to make the receptacle function properly.

The only way that's going to work (and all these are true there in Germany) is if

• the tape is fairly thick, because
• the circuit is low voltage
• the circuit has careful overcurrent protection on it
• the circuit has arc-fault protection on it (which isn't terribly hard on DC and static DC loads like resistor limited LED lighting)
• The copper tape is only installed where out of reach of poking fingers or damage from normal activity.

Have you checked each of the electrical sockets in your room? It is common (especially in the US) for 1/2 of one receptacle (i.e. one socket of the two) to be swiched by the room's light switch. This is done because it's about $30 cheaper in labor, x 3-4 rooms per house, x 2000 houses per development. It is despicable and useless. We usually go off to IKEA and get a simple $15 corner lamp to plug into that.

Another option is to use a product like Legrand Wiremold (tm) to run surface conduit from that switched receptacle up the side of the wall. Then you can either extend it to a room light, or to around-the-edge cove lighting, or to that copper system you propose.