Posted: 9/13/2007 11:58:44 AM EDT
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Can you easily diagnose what I have done here? I've got a 3 way circuit that has both a dimmer and a standard switch. The situation is this: The dimmer switch is in control of the entire circuit. If the dimmer switch is on (it properly dims), the other switch can be turned on and off and the light properly turns on and off (back to the properly dimmed level. Everything seems cool... However, if the dimmer switch is off. The other switch does NOTHING. I thought I did everything correctly while installing the switches. Do these symptoms lead you to an easy conclusion? |
You've connected one of the wires to the wrong wire or screw on the dimmer so source current is not getting through to the switch when the dimmer is off I think. We had this problem with a really complicated circuit --ceiling fan on a speed control, ceiling fan light on a dimmer, ceiling fan light on a normal switch on other side of room... But I don't know which wire is wrong . Uxb is the one who does the wiring. But one of the electrical guys will know. I'll be glad to know the answer to this too. FWIW, We also went through a lot of dimmers before we gave up and spent mucho dollars on an expensive dimmer. Power surges kept destroying them. KItties |
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Drift, sounds like you might have hooked the common wire to one of the traveler terminals by mistake. If so you can shut off the power to the circuit, separate the wires from the switch, & flip the power back on to use a voltage tester to find the hot wire - that's the one that needs to go to the common terminal. You might have to flip the other three way if you can't find a hot wire at the dimmer. Kittie, you have to use special dimmers for ceiling fans or you can mess up both the ceiling fan & the switch. disclaimer: I worked as an electrician's helper, I am not a licensed electrician. You should seek the advice of a pro before electrocuting yourself by following my advice 
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Well, this one was supposed to be specifically for that, so I dunno. It always happened after there were electrical storms nearby. Nothing else in the house was affected--computer fine, other electronics, all fine. But the dimmer was dead. It still acted as an on-off switch, but its dimming ability was fried. Happened with three different dimmers from Lowe's. Had to go to a supply house and pay double for a dimmer. :0/ Didn't say anything different than the ones we had. All recommended for ceiling fan light kits. I had to guess it was a quality issue, but I could be wrong. Kitties ETA: Posted by PBIR:
Kitties now notes that she is sorely lacking in wiring terminology.  
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