Is there such thing as a 4-way dimmer?

Question

I have a 4-way switch I want to replace with a dimmer. I understand I can put the dimmer at one of the other 3-way switches, but they're more out of the way. Does such a device exist? If not, what are my other options?

Answer 1

I've used Smart Home's Insteon switches to do this. The switches are a bit pricey, but work well. You don't need to rewire the entire house, just replace individual switches as you need to. One of the additional benefits is that you don't need to constrain yourself to how the original switches were wired up. If you want to control a particular light that wasn't originally wired up as a three-way, its easy to do. One thing that I did was add control of the outside lights to a tabletop controller next to my bed. That way I can turn on the spotlights without going downstairs.

Answer 2

Have a look at some of the remote control systems for lights that can dim. You don't need to limit your options to wired switches.

Answer 3

You would normally need to put the dimmer at the start or end of the multi-way chain where there is one active for the rheostat. Intermediate switches have two actives so for a dimmer to work there, it would need to be dual-gang, which is extremely unusual for a light fitting.

Answer 4

Your other option would be to keep the existing 4-way switch that is one of your "middle" switches of the 4-way switch system, but right next to it on the "downstream" side(heading to the next 4-way switch or final 3-way switch that eventually passes to hot lead to your load/light fixture), pass both of those traveler leads through a conventional Single-Pole, DUAL SLIDE dimmer such as the economical Lutron Skylark 300-Watt dimmer, model S2-L. In this way, all of your 3 and 4 way switches will work as before, but one traveler will be regulated by one of the dimmers, and the other traveler with be beholden to the setting on the other slide. Make sure there is no other dimmer installed in your circuit. On the input side of this dual dimmer, remove the knockout lug that binds the inputs to each side/circuit of the dimmer together, so that there are two discrete inputs. And if you brace the two slides so they move together (very easy to do since they are only 2 mm apart), they will work as one.

The dimmer should be in an approved electrical box; add a box or put in one with and additional gang. Its function will in effect be the same as a conventional 3-way dimmer switch, but with 4-way switch functionality. Most codes allow for physical, mechanical lockouts of switch bridges such as in a breaker panel. What I did for this dimmer was to have the two slides move in unison, with a slide lockout to so that the dimmers switch would work as a dimmer only and not slide all the way down to turn off. The off/on is handled by the 4-way switch nest to it in the same box, and the dimmer works to set the level of dimming. This is not theory; I have it in practice it it looks and functions in a way that is quite intuitive and not at all weird. The only drawback at this point is that the Lutron S2-L is rated for incandescent/halogen or FL?CFL, not for LED; in time they will likely improve this model or come up with a new one to accommodate LED fixtures as they become more prevalent.

Answer 5

MartinJerry has 4-way smart dimmers. https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Jerry-Solution-Different-Locations/dp/B08D7QJXJS