This is an embarassing question but here goes…..I’ve never had a problem with 3 ways switches wiring them and getting them to work but this time I’m having an issue with a 3 way circuit involving a dimmer switch and I never wired a 3 way with a dimmer before.
The dimmer switch is a 3 way dimmer, no screw terminals it simply has pigtails coming out of the back, 2 black, 1 red, 1 green for grnd. One of the black pigtails on the switch has a label on it indicating its the traveler wire or the equivalent of the black common screw on a regular switch.
In this configuration the Line comes into the light first the travels to the dimmer switch first via 12/2. Then from the dimmer a 12/3 runs to a toggle 3 way switch.
The dimmer has an on/off pushbutton with a slider for dimming. I turn on the dimmer and the lights come on and off with the dimmer. When lights are on via the dimmer the 3 way toggle will turn them off. If I attempt to turn them back on via the dimmer switch they won’t come on. I checked the wiring several times, even against a book with a schematic and it’s right. Is there an issue that 3 way dimmers somehow render a circuit not a full 3 way?
Suspecting some reversed wiriing I attemped several combinations, no success, either same thing or no lights at all.
Replies
"One of the black pigtails on the switch has a label on it indicating its the traveler wire or the equivalent of the black common screw on a regular switch."
The wire is either a traveler or the common.
Now all that I have seen the odd wire/terminal is the common (connected to the power at one end and the light at the other) and the two that are the same are the travelers (connected between the 2 switches).
If the wires are connected correctly then you should be able to turn it on and off at either end with the "switch", BUT you are limited to whatever level of dimming that you have set.
As a common sense test replace the 3-way dimmer with a plain 3-way.
It is not clear what style of 3-way that you have.
I have seen PLAIN 3-way switches that are a rotary knob with push on/push off, a toggle switch with a small slider button, and a Decor switch wiht a small slider switch.
Now there are fancy 3-way dimmers that are designed to work with special remote units at the other end that you can control the dimming from either end. But they won't have a fixed dimmer control, but some kind of up and down dim buttons.
BTW, I ran into a strange 3-way dimmer that I replaced because it was too confusing to work. I though that it was broken until I get it figured out.
It is "just a toggle". As you move the lever down it dim. If you push it down all the way the lights are "off" and won't work at the other end. But if you push it down a little harder then it makes contact with the other 3-way taveler and you can operate from the other 3-way, but it is always full brightness.
If you think about it as seperate issues , one switch on/off -- second switch on/ off. As a dimmer it is not all on or all off so what will the second switch do????
And this is considering that you checked a scematic for the proper wiring configuration. So we will rule that out.
So if I had the light dimmed the second traveler would do 2 things, 1 shut the light off or 2 leave it on in the dimm setting.
The "easiest" thing is to break down and get the pricey decora dimmers. You'd need one "master" dimmer for like $30, and one "slave" (they have a less "charged" term I can't recall) for about $20.
You get the same program features at either end (like tap twice for "all the way on," that sort of thing).
You have to watch out.There are also "plain" Decor 3-way dimmers. And I have not priced the ones that you are talking about, but I think that they are more expensive.I think that it cost more than $30 for the plain Decor 3-way dimmer.
the ones that you are talking about, but I think that they are more expensive
Could be, I haven't priced the "smart" dimmers in a good long while--those prices were the ones I remember.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Will I won't admit that I might have been wrong, but I you might be right.Here are the Lutron Mastero series. HD's web site shows the master and one remote for $59 and this site has them for about $43.
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/unionlighting/lutdimmaesma.htmlAnd the Dvia, which is the mechnaical switch with slider dimmer they have for $23, but I remember paying much more at the local HD I am thing about $35-40.http://shop.store.yahoo.com/unionlighting/lutdimdiv.html
I just put a bunch of those in. I think they're called "Maestro" line. If I remember they were anbout $60 for a set (600 watt). The 1000w switch alone was about $60 and you are able to use the same "slave".
The 1000w switch alone was about $60 and you are able to use the same "slave".
Makes X10 look right thrifty at those prices <g> . . .
Makes me wonder what the six-pad "scene" switches are going for these days (almost a afraid to go look).Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
I believe your common is mislabled the oddball color is usually common.Where dose the light get it's neutral, Up at the fixture box? What colors are used on the 12/3 at the other switch?
Found the solution....as an FYI.
I did the trick recommended by taking out the 3 way dimmer and putting in a regular toggle 3 way. In that process I discovered that apparently the wire that is the traveler wire on the 3 way dimmer is mislabeled. it had a paper sticky labed on it saying to only use that wire in 3 way applications, otherwise cap it off, so I assume that that was the traveler wire. Once I switched that "traveler" wire with the red source incoming wire the 3 ways dimmer worked on both sides of the switch. Go figure.
Pyro: If it is a Lutron - look under the bottom of all the switches for an inobtrusive slide switch that turns off the light ckt completely to make it safe to replace bulbs. Slid left is "Off." If you don't know about them, and one of the switches comes w/ the slide left you go nutso trying to find out what you did wrong! I know - I have that tee shirt!DonThe GlassMasterworks - If it scratches, I etch it!
Don't know if this is the solution; but, after hours of banging my head against a wall I found out that the electronic dimmer I was playing with was alwayspowering the light and the rest of the switches just triggered the dimmer as STMP switches (it was the break/pulse that triggered the dimmer); because of this, the hot and traveller wires on the other had to be bridged so that the dimmer always received a pulse (i.e. never shut off from power, because this one had a timer in it). Without the timer, apparently you can bridge the dimmer to get the same effect - check the fine print in the instructions.
edit: hadn't read your last post before I posted.
.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Edited 1/1/2005 1:47 am ET by Phill Giles