Timeline for How do I wire these dimmer switches? The current wiring is crazy
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
11 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Nov 6, 2011 at 4:44 | vote | accept | HappyEngineer | ||
| Nov 6, 2011 at 1:12 | comment | added | HappyEngineer | Ok, it's Saturday again, so I started working on this again. Hopefully you're still paying attention to this question. :) I just checked the voltage between each of the grounds and each of the other wires and am not sure what to do with the information. The only live wire seems to be bundle 2's white. There's also a 17 volt difference between the two grounds. I'll put a table of the voltages in my original question. | |
| Oct 31, 2011 at 11:35 | comment | added | BMitch | @HappyEngineer, thanks, the photo, your description of the other side, and a good night's rest helped. I've updated my answer. | |
| Oct 31, 2011 at 11:34 | history | edited | BMitch | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
Answer question after latest update from HappyEngineer
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| Oct 31, 2011 at 2:40 | comment | added | HappyEngineer | That diagram shows what's happening in just one juction box. There are 3 bundles coming in the top and two dimmers wired to those wires. I'll try adding a picture of it. | |
| Oct 31, 2011 at 2:37 | comment | added | HappyEngineer | I already replaced the switch on the other side. The other side is wired normally with 4 wires (a red, a black, a white, and a copper ground). | |
| Oct 31, 2011 at 2:37 | comment | added | HappyEngineer | Only two wires are connected to each of the dimmers. Presumably that's why the 3-way doesn't work as a 3-way. Neither is grounded. Right now the lights don't turn on unless I slide the dimmer to the top and also turn on the switch in the other room. The R in the 3rd bundle is not connected to anything. If I didn't draw a wire connecting to it then there's nothing connected to it. The white and green from bundle 1 and the red and green from bundle 3 are unconnected. | |
| Oct 31, 2011 at 2:29 | history | edited | BMitch | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
realized that description identified an error with existing wiring, updated answer
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| Oct 31, 2011 at 2:11 | comment | added | BMitch | @HappyEngineer, it's late, and I just reread your first sentence to see that the wiring is indeed incorrect, sorry about that. I got the impression that all of this was in a single junction box, but now I'm not sure that's the case. Can you clarify? Where is the 3rd screw on the 2nd dimmer? And where is the R wire going on the 3rd bundle? | |
| Oct 31, 2011 at 1:25 | comment | added | HappyEngineer | You mention that white wires are neutral, but the right dimmer isn't wired to any white wires. Any idea why bundle 2 even exists? It would seem that black, white, and green/ground from bundle 1 would be enough to wire the left dimmer. The black, white, red, and green/ground would be enough to wire the right dimmer as a 3-way. Why would the left dimmer use black and white while the right dimmer used black and black? Could I use a multimeter to figure out if I can just ignore bundle 2 and wire it like I'd normally expect it to be wired? | |
| Oct 31, 2011 at 1:11 | history | answered | BMitch | CC BY-SA 3.0 |