Installing a 3 way switch

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nietzj

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St. Paul, Minnesota
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Electrician
A friend asked me how to install an older 3 way dimmer switch, no problem right!
It's a Leviton 6842 3 way with 3 attached leads, black,red and brown. When I ring it out I get:

*continuity from black to brown
*nothing from any other combination with switch in either position.

Does anyone know which color leads are the travelers? My guess is for some reason you have to have this connected to power for it to work or it's shot... help please
 
Thanks 480sparky,
Just noticed it says on the plate for incandescent fixtures only, he was trying to use it with LED's, that might be the issue
 
Most led’s Will still work off a regular incandescent dimmer.

If you get continuity between black and brown, then flip switch, you should have continuity between black and red. If not the switch is either defective or maybe you have a master/slave type of dimmer?
 
Ringing out a dimmer switch probably isn't going to tell you much of anything because of the electronics. You need to look at the instruction sheet for which Google has been of no help. Where did you find it 480? It's possible that this is a master/slave setup requiring a matching remote if it's to be used in a 3 or 4 way configuration. If he is going to use this with LED lighting I wouldn't waste me time.

-Hal
 
hbiss said:
Ringing out a dimmer switch probably isn't going to tell you much of anything because of the electronics. You need to look at the instruction sheet for which Google has been of no help. Where did you find it 480? It's possible that this is a master/slave setup requiring a matching remote if it's to be used in a 3 or 4 way configuration. If he is going to use this with LED lighting I wouldn't waste me time.

-Hal
Click to expand...
I been having trouble finding good information on it also, OP did say it is an older switch, probably a discontinued item. Have found some pages that seem to suggest this is not a three way switch, may or may not be a dimmer, and some that even seem to suggest it is a neon lighted toggle switch - which would make sense it may be confused for a three way since it would have three leads.
 
kwired said:
I been having trouble finding good information on it also, OP did say it is an older switch, probably a discontinued item. Have found some pages that seem to suggest this is not a three way switch, may or may not be a dimmer, and some that even seem to suggest it is a neon lighted toggle switch - which would make sense it may be confused for a three way since it would have three leads.
Click to expand...

Google the words "Leviton 6842" and the very first result is the installation installations in .PDF format.
 
480sparky said:
Google the words "Leviton 6842" and the very first result is the installation installations in .PDF format.
Click to expand...

I did exactly that, top of that instruction sheet says it is for "Cat. No. TGIØ6-1L, 600W (Lighted)Cat. No. TGI1Ø-1L, 1000W (Lighted)".

My guess is it is maybe what is in current production and replaced the 6842? No idea how much details would carry over to new product if that is what we have here.

Three way version in that instruction has black and two red leads, OP says he has black, red, brown leads. Still strongly leaning toward possibility of him having single pole unit with neon light. There is a google result from Ebay and when you go to that it says it is
"Clear Lighted Light Switch Dimmer 600w Leviton 6842".
 
This is showing tying to a regular 3-way switch. Most dimmers that are capable of 3-way dimming wire this way. The line/load end can be reversed if needed.
You probably won't read continuity properly on this dimmer with a meter because of the way the insides work, as was already stated.

6693+Wir.JPG


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