3 way dimmer

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Greg1707

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Location
Alexandria, VA
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Business owner Electrical contractor
Today I replaced a dimmer switch with a 3 way dimmer switch. After installation the switches worked fine for off/on but the dimmer would not dim. when I pushed down on the dimmer it would just turn off. Thinking there was something wrong with the switch I got another out of the truck and installed it. I had the same results. I know I wired it correctly since the on/off function for both switches works fine and I check the common/travellers as well. Only the dimmer does does not dim.
Any ideas?
 
Greg1707 said:
Today I replaced a dimmer switch with a 3 way dimmer switch. After installation the switches worked fine for off/on but the dimmer would not dim. when I pushed down on the dimmer it would just turn off. Thinking there was something wrong with the switch I got another out of the truck and installed it. I had the same results. I know I wired it correctly since the on/off function for both switches works fine and I check the common/travellers as well. Only the dimmer does does not dim.
Any ideas?
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What kind of light are you trying to dim.

Bad batch of dimmers possibly. You cannot wire it incorrectly for dimming either. If the light is on and doesn't dim then there is something wrong with the dimmer.
 
Greg1707 said:
Any ideas?
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You got a dimmer that's a bum.....and his bum friend :grin:


I put in 3-way dimming at my own home...on wiring I actually installed all by myself!
...and it didn't work:mad:

The dimmer was simply bad....I got around to replacing it about a month later...different brand....all good!:smile:

Was yours the same brand?
 
normbac said:
some dimmers will only work from the hot side not the switch leg side of a 3 way
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I was told that by a tech person at Lutron and that is just plain wrong, IMO. I have never had a problem switching the switch leg side. Think about it it makes no sense whatsoever.
 
Celtic, love that avatar man, it's all you ;) While were on the subject of switches, how does a lighted switch's locater light work. Does it read through the bulb back to the panel?
 
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If you use one dimmer and one three way switch, you can get dimming with only one position of the switch.

If you use two dimmers, you can get dimming from either end--if you hook it up right and if the second dimmer is fully off.
 
rattus said:
If you use one dimmer and one three way switch, you can get dimming with only one position of the switch.
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In my house it's exactly that and I get dimming from both positions of the switch. That was after I removed the previous HO incorrectly wired dimmer that operated as you describe.

For the OP: Some dimmers require that you cut power before installing or else they self destruct. I'm surprised that hasn't been mentioned, yet.
 
funny, there is a 3 way in my house that I did not do, but it has the issue of dimming it making it not turn on from the other location. I should look at it and figure out what the heck is going on.

edit: it only dims when the other switch is up..Otherwise, the dimmer does not dim, just lets it be hard on or off.
 
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danickstr said:
funny, there is a 3 way in my house that I did not do, but it has the issue of dimming it making it not turn on from the other location. I should look at it and figure out what the heck is going on.
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I bet someone used a single pole dimmer instead of a 3 way dimmer.
 
Is the 3-way dimmer that you installed one of the "electronic" dimmers, such as a Lutron MA603-Color perhaps? If so, it will not work with a standard 3-way at the other end of the switching system, you will need an MAR slave dimmer.
 
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Jljohnson said:
Is the 3-way dimmer that you installed one of the "electronic" dimmers, such as a Lutron MA603-Color perhaps? If so, it will not work with a standard 3-way at the other end of the switching system, you will need an MAR slave dimmer.
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I think you got it.
 
danickstr said:
funny, there is a 3 way in my house that I did not do, but it has the issue of dimming it making it not turn on from the other location. I should look at it and figure out what the heck is going on.

edit: it only dims when the other switch is up..Otherwise, the dimmer does not dim, just lets it be hard on or off.
Click to expand...

Exactly, the dimmer is in series with one of the travelers. The other traveler is merely switched on and off.
 
Greg1707 said:
Today I replaced a dimmer switch with a 3 way dimmer switch. After installation the switches worked fine for off/on but the dimmer would not dim. when I pushed down on the dimmer it would just turn off. Thinking there was something wrong with the switch I got another out of the truck and installed it. I had the same results. I know I wired it correctly since the on/off function for both switches works fine and I check the common/travellers as well. Only the dimmer does does not dim.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
are there 2 dimmers?
 
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