3 way dimmer blues
#1
10-27-03, 11:43 AM
3 way dimmer blues
Hello,
I'm trying to install a dimmer at the top of my stairs. I have a three way switch at the bottom of the stairs with 3 wires... black white and red. At the top of the stairs in the box I have the three wires from downstairs and I also have a white and a black from my light. The white and the black from the light carry the voltage. I have a three way dimmer that I'm trying to wire into the box upstairs. The three way dimmer has four wires. On one side it has a red and a black. On the other side a green and a black. I understand that the green is the ground. Can someone please explain to me how to wire this so that I can turn the lights upstairs on and off from the bottom of the stairs and also from the top of the stairs where I want to be able to dim the lights to my discretion.
Thanks for any help.
I'm trying to install a dimmer at the top of my stairs. I have a three way switch at the bottom of the stairs with 3 wires... black white and red. At the top of the stairs in the box I have the three wires from downstairs and I also have a white and a black from my light. The white and the black from the light carry the voltage. I have a three way dimmer that I'm trying to wire into the box upstairs. The three way dimmer has four wires. On one side it has a red and a black. On the other side a green and a black. I understand that the green is the ground. Can someone please explain to me how to wire this so that I can turn the lights upstairs on and off from the bottom of the stairs and also from the top of the stairs where I want to be able to dim the lights to my discretion.
Thanks for any help.
#2
10-27-03, 12:12 PM
Member
This is simple. Take the wire that was formerly connected to the green screw on the old switch and connect it to the green wire on the dimmer. Take the wire that was formerly connected to the black screw on the old switch, and connect it to the red wire on the dimmer. Take the other two wires that were attached to the old switch and attach them to the black wires on the dimmer (one to one). For any wires in the box that we not connected to the old switch, leave them as they were.
#3
10-27-03, 04:39 PM
hmmmmm. Thanks for the reply, but let me tell you that these things are only easy to those of you who understand how these switches work. 
My problem is that I started this last Fri and now can't remember what wires went where on the old switches.
At the downstairs switch I have the red wire hooked to the rt. side of the switch and at the bottom. I have the black wire connected to the left side and at the bottom and so the white wire is connected at the top of the left side.
So now I have 5 wires hanging in the air at the top of the stairs and can't figure what goes where. 3 of the wires at the top box are from the downstairs switch and the other two, one black and one white and also carrying the 120 volts.
I have 4 wires from the dimmer switch. Looking at the dimmer from the back side the wires come out the bottom in two sets. From left to right the first set is a red and then black. The second set is black then green.
You should also know that the wiring in my house is from the early fifties so there are no ground wires.
If you could walk me through this I'd appreciate it!
Thanks,
My problem is that I started this last Fri and now can't remember what wires went where on the old switches.
At the downstairs switch I have the red wire hooked to the rt. side of the switch and at the bottom. I have the black wire connected to the left side and at the bottom and so the white wire is connected at the top of the left side.
So now I have 5 wires hanging in the air at the top of the stairs and can't figure what goes where. 3 of the wires at the top box are from the downstairs switch and the other two, one black and one white and also carrying the 120 volts.
I have 4 wires from the dimmer switch. Looking at the dimmer from the back side the wires come out the bottom in two sets. From left to right the first set is a red and then black. The second set is black then green.
You should also know that the wiring in my house is from the early fifties so there are no ground wires.
If you could walk me through this I'd appreciate it!
Thanks,
#4
10-27-03, 05:10 PM
Member
I don't want to get too preachy, but one of the first rules of electrical work is to never take anything apart without first recording enough information that would allow you to put it back the way it was. So I'll revise my earlier statement. It would have been simple if the wiring were as it was originally. Enough of that.
Let's start with the downstairs switch. First of all, right and left, top and bottom, is meaningless since different manufacturers put their screws in different positions. So (1) please tell me the color of each of these three screws, and which wire is connected to the black screw. Next, (2) please tell me if the wiring you described is the way it is now, or the way it was at the beginning, or both. Finally, (3) tell me if there are any other wires in the box other than these three.
At the upstairs switch, what exactly do you mean by "carrying the 120 volts"? Exactly how do you know that?
If you provide me with this information, I'm sure we can sort this out.
Let's start with the downstairs switch. First of all, right and left, top and bottom, is meaningless since different manufacturers put their screws in different positions. So (1) please tell me the color of each of these three screws, and which wire is connected to the black screw. Next, (2) please tell me if the wiring you described is the way it is now, or the way it was at the beginning, or both. Finally, (3) tell me if there are any other wires in the box other than these three.
At the upstairs switch, what exactly do you mean by "carrying the 120 volts"? Exactly how do you know that?
If you provide me with this information, I'm sure we can sort this out.
