4 way dimmers

[DaveBowden]

I'm bidding a job where the architect shows 4 doors going to a lanai with 2 three way and 2 four ways ( he actually drew it as 4 three ways ) controlling the lights on the lanai. He's also showing each one as being a dimmer. Does anybody know of 4 way dimmer?
I tried looking at Leviton's web site but everything I saw said just 1 dimmer and toggle regular 3 and 4 ways at the other locations. I thought there was a "maestro" line where you could put dimmers at each end of a 3 way system but I don't know if they make them anymore or if they ever could be used with 4 ways with dimming capabilities.

 

[480sparky]

There are several brands that produce dimmers that 'talk' to each other, allowing dimming of the lights from 3 or more locations. Only one dimmer actually does the dimming, and does so per the 'command' from the other units.

 

[DaveBowden]

glad to know they're available. Maybe some suggestion as to where to find them on line?

 

[480sparky]

I'm sure P&S and Leviton have something. I don't know what their names for them are, though.

I'd prefer to deal locally when buying material like this. If there's a problem, an on-line source can be a nightmare.

 

[Buck Parrish]

HD and Lowes has Lutron that do what 480 is talking about. The master is as much as $30 or more. Thier the ones with little led lights on the side of the switch. As 480 said HD and Lowes has an excellent return policy. See here http://www.prolighting.com/lumainmadi60.html the key words are 'smart dimmer'

 

[macmikeman]

When you hook em up, ignore what you know about how to hook up travelers and pay careful attention to what the diagram shows, or "magic smoke".

 

[Chamuit]

Lutron's Maestro series can accomodate this. You get an MA-600 then three MA-R (remote switches.)

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Lutron, IMO, is the best however lightolier and others make them. Remember there is no 3 way or 4 way switches in this series. You buy a sp maestro switch and you can add up to 10 slave switches for the other controls. Parts are listed in the post above.

 

[DaveBowden]

Thanks for the info

 

[mikeames]

You can use the vizia rf plus line as well. I have used them a lot. They require programming. You can buy them online as well. Heres the manufacture link. http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=15144&minisite=10024


I put these in my house as well. One word of caution is they can be sensitive to unclean power. Surge supression is a good Idea as I am finding out in my house as well as customer homes.

 

[adelle]

Stay clear of products that send data over the power line, X10 for example. They are not reliable due to noise on the line, intermittant, and not secure if the building shares a step down transformer wirth another.

 

[tzclark]

I like the lutron one the best. Beware that you dont use off shore lamps as for some reason the filaments are longer and for some reason make a humming noise when dimmed with the lutrons.

 

[LarryFine]

Beware that you dont use off shore lamps as for some reason the filaments are longer and for some reason make a humming noise when dimmed with the lutrons.

It's actually the filament supports that make the difference:

 

[wirenuter]

4way

4way

Larry just check out Lutrons web site. This is nothing new. Just see if the spec calls out a model # so you dont get stuck having to furnish something more expensive than a an MA. Works with normal s3 wiring and not like an X10