Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - 3 switches and 2 lights
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Klute
02-08-05, 06:33 AM
I have a 2-story house.
There are 2 lights in the upstair hallway and 3 switches, one at the bottom, one at the top and one at the end of the hallway.
I would like to install a dimmer. I don't think a 3-way dimmer will work properly is there a 4-way?
There are 2 lights in the upstair hallway and 3 switches, one at the bottom, one at the top and one at the end of the hallway.
I would like to install a dimmer. I don't think a 3-way dimmer will work properly is there a 4-way?
John Nelson
02-08-05, 08:38 AM
An ordinary 3-way dimmer will work just fine. You'll have to replace one of the two 3-way switches with it, not the 4-way.
Klute
02-08-05, 08:56 AM
do identify the 3-ways?
There was a dimmer in there before, but it did not work properly (you could not use the other switches), so I removed it. I am guessing it was hooked up to the 4-way.
There was a dimmer in there before, but it did not work properly (you could not use the other switches), so I removed it. I am guessing it was hooked up to the 4-way.
chirkware
02-08-05, 05:08 PM
The four way switch will have four wires connected (ignoring any grounds). Leave it alone. :) The four way is probably the one between the other two.
The three way switches have three wires connected (ignoring grounds).
One of the three screws that the wires connect to should be darker, or somehow identified as "Common". The wire connected to it is the Common wire, and it may be red, black, or white, depending on how the circuit was wired. Make CERTAIN that you note which wire is the common wire before unhooking anything, otherwise you will have problems. Note that the Common screw is not necessarily in a certain position of the switch.
The other two wires are your "travelers". Swapping your two travelers doesn't affect things, but mixing up the Common with one of the travelers will prevent the three switches from working together properly.
The three way switches have three wires connected (ignoring grounds).
One of the three screws that the wires connect to should be darker, or somehow identified as "Common". The wire connected to it is the Common wire, and it may be red, black, or white, depending on how the circuit was wired. Make CERTAIN that you note which wire is the common wire before unhooking anything, otherwise you will have problems. Note that the Common screw is not necessarily in a certain position of the switch.
The other two wires are your "travelers". Swapping your two travelers doesn't affect things, but mixing up the Common with one of the travelers will prevent the three switches from working together properly.