4 way switch

[LaloGarcia]

In a 4 way dimmer application, will the lights work if 2 of the switches are regular 4 way and 3 way switches or would I absolutely need a maestro and 2 companions for the lights to work properly, so with only the first switch with incoming power being a dimmer and the other 2 being just toggle switches, will the lights work?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Of course.. The maestro would need companion switches but a standard dimmer can be in one place and standard switches in the other places. Remember that you can only dim from the one location. With the Maestro you can dim at each location

 

[synchro]

You could use a Maestro with two regular 3-way switches for turning it on and off, but they will not do dimming as Dennis has already mentioned. The two 3-ways would need to form a switch loop that connects: 1.) the brass screw of the Maestro that supplies the load, and 2.) the blue screw of the Maestro.

See the second wiring diagram on page 4 of this Lutron document:

https://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocumentLibrary/369613a.pdf

They are using only two screws of a 3-way mechanical switch and so it's just working as a single-pole single-throw switch between the brass and blue screws of the Maestro. Therefore two 3-ways switches in a switch loop can be substituted for this single switch so that the light is controlled from three locations (the Maestro dimmer and each 3-way).

As indicated on Note 1 on the bottom of page 1 of the document, a programming step is needed before using the Maestro with mechanical switches. I think this is because the companion dimmers turn it on and off using momentary contacts, but the mechanical switches will sustain a connection in each switch position.

 

[Fred B]

In a 4 way dimmer application, will the lights work if 2 of the switches are regular 4 way and 3 way switches or would I absolutely need a maestro and 2 companions for the lights to work properly, so with only the first switch with incoming power being a dimmer and the other 2 being just toggle switches, will the lights work?

Lutron makes a 3W dimmer, all wiring completed as any other 3 way or 4 way system. Just make sure dimmer is rated(listed) for LED if you are using them.