3 way dimmer switch

[Jgunn4824]

So I understand there is only one dimmer permitted on a 3-way circuit. I roughed in a residential kitchen and the carpenters used shiplap paneling, and I can not gain access to behind the walls... with that being said, I have a set of 3 way switches, one being the dimmer, and the other being a standard 3 way toggle.... *at the location of the dimmer*, I have the power coming in, the switch leg up
To the light, and a 12/3 wire running to the toggle switch... I had wired the dimmer and toggle accordingly, I think? The light powers up, however will not work once I shut the light out using the toggle... am I SOL considering the switch leg comes from one end instead of the other?? Help!!!!

 

[Little Bill]

So you have the hot and load coming into the same box? That is not a problem, it's a dead end 3-way.
Sound like you have a traveler and either the load or line/hot reversed. You can put a dimmer on either end of a 3-way.

 

[Jgunn4824]

Yes. The feed-in, the switchleg to the light, and the three-wire to the togggle switch on the opposite side of the room... so on the other switch location, it is just the 12/3 wire

 

[hbiss]

At the location of the dimmer I have the power coming in, the switch leg up to the light, and a 12/3 wire running to the toggle switch.

So you feed the dimmer then from the dimmer you only have 12/2 running to the light and from the light 12/3 to the three way?

Good luck. Look into one of the wireless 3 way switch systems.

So I understand there is only one dimmer permitted on a 3-way circuit.

Don't know where you got that. There are wired 3 way dimmers that can have many dimmers for the same fixture.

-Hal

 

[LarryFine]

How it should be:
The hot black comes in the first box, connects directly to the white of the 3-conductor cable, other end of white to common on switch, red and black travelers back to first box, they connect to dimmer travelers, common of dimmer to black to light.

Be sure you wired the dimmer and switch correctly (your description sounds like you mixed a common and a traveler), technically the white should be re-colored, and of course, the incoming white at the first box connects directly to the white to the light.

 

[Jgunn4824]

How it should be:
The hot black comes in the first box, connects directly to the white of the 3-conductor cable, other end of white to common on switch, red and black travelers back to first box, they connect to dimmer travelers, common of dimmer to black to light.

Be sure you wired the dimmer and switch correctly (your description sounds like you mixed a common and a traveler), technically the white should be re-colored, and of course, the incoming white at the first box connects directly to the white to the light.

Thank you Larry. I will look in to my wiring mistake in the AM (PST) and repost if necessary. Thank you again

 

[jusme123]

People have to proof read their post when posting a questions, when people respond with question marks, you didn’t really explain your scenario properly.

 

[Jgunn4824]

People have to proof read their post when posting a questions, when people respond with question marks, you didn’t really explain your scenario properly.

I explained my scenario as clearly as possible.. I’m not sure how it is confusing to understand... at the dimmer switch there is as follows: FEED-IN, SWITCH LEG, and 12/3 to 3-way toggle switch..... I can operate the lights from the dimmer, and I can shut off the lights from the toggle. When that happens, I can no longer switch the lights ON from the dimmer switch.

 

[Little Bill]

It's clear enough, I just had a question as to whether the line & load were in the same box. I'm positive you have a traveler mixed up with the common (line or load). Larry nailed it in his description.
Welcome to the Forum!

 

[GoldDigger]

Don't know where you got that. There are wired 3 way dimmers that can have many dimmers for the same fixture.

-Hal

But as far as I know the wired multiple dimmer systems use one traveler for communication between dimmers and the other for power, with only one of the dimmer units actually regulating the power to the fixture.

 

[infinity]

Yes. The feed-in, the switchleg to the light, and the three-wire to the togggle switch on the opposite side of the room... so on the other switch location, it is just the 12/3 wire

With this configuration of cables it will work when wired correctly.

 

[RRJ]

How I usually explain it is :
one black to the golden or different color terminal on switch goes to the fixture(switchleg), the two travelers from switch to switch and the other black on the other switch landed on different color terminal is your constant hot.


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[infinity]

How I usually explain it is :
one black to the golden or different color terminal on switch goes to the fixture(switchleg), the two travelers from switch to switch and the other black on the other switch landed on different color terminal is your constant hot.

How would that work given the dead end 3-way in this case?

 

[RRJ]

How would that work given the dead end 3-way in this case?

It’s just a general statement that helped me understand 3 way switch wiring. if a three wire with ground goes to one switch black and red are travelers and I will phased white with black tape and land in common terminal, on the other side either to light or hot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sameguy]

Wiring of a three way/ four way is one of the first questions I use to find out who I'm dealing with.

 

[oldsparky52]

So I understand there is only one dimmer permitted on a 3-way circuit. I roughed in a residential kitchen and the carpenters used shiplap paneling, and I can not gain access to behind the walls... with that being said, I have a set of 3 way switches, one being the dimmer, and the other being a standard 3 way toggle.... *at the location of the dimmer*, I have the power coming in, the switch leg up
To the light, and a 12/3 wire running to the toggle switch... I had wired the dimmer and toggle accordingly, I think? The light powers up, however will not work once I shut the light out using the toggle... am I SOL considering the switch leg comes from one end instead of the other?? Help!!!!

The highlighted text above made me think there was more to this than there is. I am curious as to why you felt it was necessary to include this information. Is it germane to the problem or ...?

 

[ActionDave]

The highlighted text above made me think there was more to this than there is. I am curious as to why you felt it was necessary to include this information. Is it germane to the problem or ...?

Because he is saying that if he has to get back inside the wall it is not a simple thing.

 

[LarryFine]

Wiring of a three way/ four way is one of the first questions I use to find out who I'm dealing with.

Did I pass?

 

[oldsparky52]

Because he is saying that if he has to get back inside the wall it is not a simple thing.

A heck of a jump from miswiring a 3-way to getting back into the wall.

 

[ActionDave]

A heck of a jump from miswiring a 3-way to getting back into the wall.

But if was going to be anything other than a miswired switch it would be inside the wall that was the most expensive to repair, that's the way electricity works.