Deadend 3-Way, adding a dimmer
- Thread starter mspicka
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Is it an electronic dimmer that needs a neutral? If not it should work just as the switch did. What type dimmer and brand.
Tulsa Electrician
Senior Member
- Location
- Tulsa
- Occupation
- Electrician
What dimmer did you use and what is the load type.
Did you install the dimmer at the correct end.
A dead end three way usually has the hot and two travelers at the dead end ( 3- wire end).
Did you install the dimmer at the correct end.
A dead end three way usually has the hot and two travelers at the dead end ( 3- wire end).
I was trying to look that up. It did not require a dimmer. It looked like a basic Lutron Decora dimmer. What I found odd was it had a black screw, silver screw and a green screw, but also a green pigtail. The instructions said to use the black as a common.
Tulsa Electrician
Senior Member
- Location
- Tulsa
- Occupation
- Electrician
Part #
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Can you take a picture
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Are you sure you have the correct configuration. Some people used to use the white conductor for the common
Three led disc lights. I didn't try the other end, because of where the homeowner wanted it.
When I go back, I'll try one on the deadend side.
No, I'm not there currently.
Since the switches worked, I just copied the wires over. The common on the non dead end was a black and had black and red travelers. The dead side was a, black, red, white.
Lutron Maestro LED+ Dimmer Switch for Dimmable LED Bulbs, 150W/Single-Pole or Multi-Location, White (MACL-153MH-WH) MACL-153MH-WH - The Home Depot
Bring technology and style to your home with this Lutron Maestro Single Pole or Multi-Location White Digital CFL-LED Dimmer.
www.homedepot.com
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Lutron Maestro LED+ Dimmer Switch for Dimmable LED Bulbs, 150W/Single-Pole or Multi-Location, White (MACL-153MH-WH) MACL-153MH-WH - The Home Depot
Bring technology and style to your home with this Lutron Maestro Single Pole or Multi-Location White Digital CFL-LED Dimmer.www.homedepot.com
I believe you need a maestro companion switch for the other 3 way location. I am not certain but some do need it.
I just read some stuff and apparently they can be used without a companion switch
The instructions show, one maestro and one switch.
Tulsa Electrician
Senior Member
- Location
- Tulsa
- Occupation
- Electrician
Tulsa Electrician
Senior Member
- Location
- Tulsa
- Occupation
- Electrician
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
You need a dimmer that has 3-way compatibility. Doesn't sound like yours does. The reason for the green screw and green pigtail is if you have an EGC it goes on the green screw, if you don't have an EGC the pigtail ties to the neutral. If you get a 3-way dimmer it doesn't matter which end it goes on.
curt swartz
Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
- Location
- San Jose, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
That green screw is actually blue and NOT an EGC connection. It is used to multi location switching.
A Lutron diva dimmer will work with a standard 3 way switch and dimmer can be hot or switch leg side. However, like Dennis said, if it’s a maestro dimmer, you must have a companion dimmer on the other switch and any associated 4way switches and you will have to follow the Lutron diagram wiring schematic to get it to work right. It’s not just hot and 2 travelers and 2 travelers and switch leg other side. Changes have to be made and I believe the maestro must be at the start (hot) of the switching system and all others must be companion dimmers.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
That's what I was going to ask, if it wasn't blue instead of green.
Lutron does have dimmers like I described above.
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