Replies

1. 
   MojoMan | Nov 05, 2004 03:04am | #1

   This is too obvious, but I'll ask anyway: Are you dimming the light all the way down and then trying to turn it back on from the other switch? The "3-way" part is only on/off. If you use the dimmer to dim the light down to nothing, the other switch can't bring it back up.

   Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

2. 
   geob21 | Nov 05, 2004 03:58am | #2

   Put the old switch back in.

   If it works you scewed up the connection.

   There is at least 3 different ways to wire this switch depending where the power switches and lights are located. Get a book or hire a lectrician...the lectrican route isn't bulletproof though...mine misses it about 1 in 5 times.

3. 
   DanH | Nov 05, 2004 04:21am | #3

   There are several different types of 3-way dimmers. One type has a "push/push" switch that switches between the two 3-way settings with each push of the dimmer knob. Another type is a sort of toggle switch that dims as you move it up or down, but only dims down to the middle, then is off for the rest of its motion.

   Either type will work with a regular 3-way switch. You of course need to wire it right, and, with the first style, you need to remember to turn the light off with the push switch, vs dimming it all the way down.

4. 
   MSA1 | Nov 05, 2004 04:26am | #4

   You need an electronic dimmer. They come in sets, one slave and one for the line side of the circuit. The ones i've installed are about $65 for a set(600w). If you need 1000w the price goes up by about $20.

1. 
   HammerHarry | Nov 05, 2004 05:21am | #5

   We have five sets of lights on 3 ways with dimmers; I don't think you need electronic dimmer/slaves.  

    I assume your problem is wiring.  Wait for 4lorn1 to stop by.

1. 
   BillHartmann | Nov 05, 2004 07:09am | #7

   "We have five sets of lights on 3 ways with dimmers; I don't think you need electronic dimmer/slaves. "

   All dimmers today are electronic.

   But the common 3-way dimmer is a dimmer combined with a 3 way switch. If you dim it all the way down, you can "undim" it from the other end.

   If you want full control from either end then you need the relatively expensive slave/master systems.

1. 
   JLazaro317 | Nov 05, 2004 02:59pm | #8

   Thanks for all the responses. I called the electrician by phone (he's a buddy) and he kind of explained it to me, but I wanted to post and see what came back. I like these responses better. The original switches worked just fine, so I'm not sure it was a wiring problem. I'll tackle it some more this weekend. Also, that switch gets warm. It's a 600w switch with 520w of bulbs on it. Is this normal? Should I go up to a 1000w switch?

   I'll do some wire tracing this weekend and see if by chance it was wired wrong. I put the wires on the switch just like they came off the old one. The dimmer switch I bought was a push-on/ push off rotate to dim.

   Thanks for the responses,John

   J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.

   Indianapolis, In.

   http://www.lazarobuilders.com

1. 
   DanH | Nov 05, 2004 04:03pm | #9

   Yeah, 500-odd watts on a 600 watt dimmer will make the dimmer pretty warm. Ida put in a 1000, but they may be harder to find in a 3-way.

2. 
   MSA1 | Nov 06, 2004 05:20am | #10

   I would definitely go with the 1000w dimmer. Although below its rating 520 is a bit much for a 600w.

5. 
   KeithNewton | Nov 05, 2004 06:47am | #6

   John, Just go back in there and change the wires. If it is the same, change it one more time and you are there.

   The line in should be on the end by itself. The two lines to the other switch will come into the box from the same place, and will probably be red and black. They hook to the switch under the two screws or leads, which come out from opposite sides of the other end.

   The switch either connects or disconnects back and forth to either of these two legs. and the switch on the other end does the same. If your line in is connected to either of these two leads, all you get is on and off.

6. 
   Dinosaur | Nov 06, 2004 05:58am | #11

   If the P-On/P-Off unit your dealing with is the standard ten-dollar 3-way dimmer (Cooper, Eagle, or whatever), you might need to buy two of them and install one at each end of your 14-3. Otherwise you'll have no dimmer control once you throw the SPDT on the end opposite the dimmer. Its switching function will cut the dimmer out of the circuit.

   Check your wiring carefully, too. Three-ways are just 'odd' enough so that someone who doesn't install them regularly winds up scratchin' his head trying to remember how he did it last time and making crude sketches on scraps of 2x. Make sure you haven't got the common swapped with one of the other two wires. That's the most likely error.

   Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

1. 
   DanH | Nov 06, 2004 06:21am | #12

   The push-on/push-off units I'm familiar with dim on both "sides" of the switch. It's basically a dimmer in series with a 3-way mechanical switch.

1. 
   Dinosaur | Nov 06, 2004 06:51am | #13

   The ones I've installed recently were slide+toggle types that are sold as a "3-way dimmer with pre-set". Fairly expensive unit; about 45-50 bucks IIRC. These work like any other 3-way except that you can dim from one side of the circuit, and the dimmer setting affects the lights no matter which switch is thrown what way.

   Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

1. 
   DanH | Nov 06, 2004 02:47pm | #14

   Sounds like we're saying the same thing: Set the dimmer to 3/4 bright and you'll get either off or 3/4, switching from either end.

   You could accomplish the same thing with a regular dimmer and two separate 3-way switches, if you installed a double box on one end and remembered never to use the dimmer switch to turn things off.

1. 
   Dinosaur | Nov 07, 2004 01:05am | #15

   You could accomplish the same thing with a regular dimmer and two separate 3-way switches,

   So you'd have to wire the dimmer in series into the common leg? Now yer confusin' me....Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

2. 
   DanH | Nov 07, 2004 01:24am | #16

   Yep. I'd expect you to be confused, but I think everyone else can understand :J

3. 
   Dinosaur | Nov 07, 2004 06:13am | #17

   Well excuuuuuuuuuuuse me I'll just take my confusion and go sit in the corner....Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

4. 
   gelato | Nov 08, 2004 03:23am | #18

   Where you won't be the only one.  Just remember to bring a cold one with you.

5. 
   Dinosaur | Nov 08, 2004 05:57am | #19

   Guinness with a Widget....

   Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

6. 
   gelato | Nov 09, 2004 08:45am | #20

   Negro Modelo with chunka lime...SLAINTE!

   (and- who you calling a Widget?)