diff --git a/esphome/components/mcp4461/output/mcp4461_output.cpp b/esphome/components/mcp4461/output/mcp4461_output.cpp
index 0389beccf3..2c5ae844d3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mcp4461/output/mcp4461_output.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/mcp4461/output/mcp4461_output.cpp
@@ -9,14 +9,16 @@ namespace mcp4461 {
 
 static const char *const TAG = "mcp4461.output";
 
+// floats from other components (like light etc.) are passed as "percentage floats"
+// this function converts them to the 0 - 256 range used by the MCP4461
 void Mcp4461Wiper::write_state(float state) {
-  if (this->parent_->set_wiper_level_(this->wiper_, static_cast<uint16_t>(state * 1000))) {
+  if (this->parent_->set_wiper_level_(this->wiper_, static_cast<uint16_t>(std::roundf(state * 256)))) {
     this->state_ = state;
   }
 }
 
 float Mcp4461Wiper::read_state() {
-  return (static_cast<float>(this->parent_->get_wiper_level_(this->wiper_)) / 1000.0);
+  return (static_cast<float>(this->parent_->get_wiper_level_(this->wiper_)) / 256.0);
 }
 
 float Mcp4461Wiper::update_state() {
@@ -24,19 +26,24 @@ float Mcp4461Wiper::update_state() {
   return this->state_;
 }
 
-void Mcp4461Wiper::enable_wiper() { this->parent_->enable_wiper_(this->wiper_); }
+void Mcp4461Wiper::set_state(bool state) {
+  if (state) { this->turn_on(); }
+  else { this->turn_off(); }
+}
 
-void Mcp4461Wiper::disable_wiper() { this->parent_->disable_wiper_(this->wiper_); }
+void Mcp4461Wiper::turn_on() { this->parent_->enable_wiper_(this->wiper_); }
+
+void Mcp4461Wiper::turn_off() { this->parent_->disable_wiper_(this->wiper_); }
 
 void Mcp4461Wiper::increase_wiper() {
   if (this->parent_->increase_wiper_(this->wiper_)) {
-    this->state_ = this->state_ + 0.001;
+    this->state_ = this->update_state();
   }
 }
 
 void Mcp4461Wiper::decrease_wiper() {
   if (this->parent_->decrease_wiper_(this->wiper_)) {
-    this->state_ = this->state_ - 0.001;
+    this->state_ = this->update_state();
   }
 }