Dual-Load Single-Gang options.

[tfitts]

I just moved into a house from a condo where all of my switches were Z-Wave.  In my new house I have no home-automation investment and I have a couple of switches that I'm struggling with how to handle before I make a choice.  I'm hoping someone can help me out.
 
Kitchen:  There are 4 lights in the kitchen.  3 of them are controlled by 3-way switches and one of them is a normal 2 way.  The 3-way switches on one side are individual switches in a 3-gang box.  On the other side, there are 4 switches in a 2-gang box. So 2 of these, if you search B0006B55DA on amazon it will come up.  So 3 of the 4 switches are connected to the 3-way switches on the other side.  The 4th is not a 3-way switch.
 
I'm wondering if anyone knows of a solution that will work for these and preferably will give me the option to dim the 3-way switches in the kitchen.  I think I've seen a z-wave switch with 2 loads in the same box but I'm pretty sure it wasn't dimmable.
 

I also have another one of those 2 load 1 gang in the bathroom, but I would think whatever works in the kitchen will work in the bathroom.
 
I need to figure this out before I decide on what technology I'm going to use for all the lighting.  If anyone has any ideas of what is available I would appreciate it.

 
Thanks,

Tyler

 

[Desert_AIP]

The Simply Automated US22-40 is a two load single gang switch, but it is UPB.

 

[carry15+1]

If you want to go with zwave you might consider the Intermatic CA600 600 watt dimmers.  These do NOT require a neutral.  And, they can work with existing 3-way switches with a little tinkering with the travellers (jumpers actually).  Three of these would replace the 3 3-way switches in the 3 gang box and the other switches would remain.  Only down side is you can only dim from the CA600.  Also these dimmers come back on at full bright, not last dim level.  On eBay you can get 6 for $119 + $10 s/h from Automated Outlet. 

 

[carry15+1]

I should have also asked if you have romex or a conduit system.   In either case really, if you have metal junction boxes you might find that you have a 4x4 JB with a single gang plaster ring.  If that were the case (in the bath) you can carefully cut the drywall to allow you to install a two gang plaster ring and use standard dimmers or switches.   And as a last resort, you can go to Home Depot and ask for a few single gang GEM boxes.  These are metal boxes that can be ganged to create a 2-3-4 etc gang box.  Get deep ones, as deep as you can get into the wall.  You will also need a pair of Madison Hangers or some other way to fasten the box in place.  It will take some patience, but you can make this revision without patching the drywall.  nd you may need to buy a few take-all connectors to attach your romex to the box, if you have  romex.

 

[tadr]

I should have also asked if you have romex or a conduit system.   In either case really, if you have metal junction boxes you might find that you have a 4x4 JB with a single gang plaster ring.  If that were the case (in the bath) you can carefully cut the drywall to allow you to install a two gang plaster ring and use standard dimmers or switches.   And as a last resort, you can go to Home Depot and ask for a few single gang GEM boxes.  These are metal boxes that can be ganged to create a 2-3-4 etc gang box.  Get deep ones, as deep as you can get into the wall.  You will also need a pair of Madison Hangers or some other way to fasten the box in place.  It will take some patience, but you can make this revision without patching the drywall.  nd you may need to buy a few take-all connectors to attach your romex to the box, if you have  romex.

 
Along the same lines, I've successfully ripped out a couple of single gang new construction plastic boxes and replaced them with retrofit double gang boxes to solve a similar problem (in my case, to gain separate light + ceiling fan switches).

 

[tmbrown97]

Along the same lines, I've successfully ripped out a couple of single gang new construction plastic boxes and replaced them with retrofit double gang boxes to solve a similar problem (in my case, to gain separate light + ceiling fan switches).

That's a trick I first learned about here and have now used a few times quite successfully.  The biggest trick IMO is getting the old box broken out - a good cordless sawzall makes this quick work.  Once freed, you can break out the old box and fish your wires into a new one.

 

[pete_c]

Here originally had 4X4 metal boxes with conduit.  The bedrooms were wired for ceiling fans / lighting and switched outlets.  There was a single mudplate metal cover with one switch in place for just the switched outlets.  I initially went to installing a double gangbox metal mudplate and two automation switches.  It was a very tight fit trimming the switch and the metal mudplate.  It was easy to cut a bit of the drywall and insert a double mudplate concurrent with a repainting  / refinishing of the room.  Over the last two years though I have migrated to many single UPB switches that are dual load and multiple toggle.
 
Temporarily I didn't want to remove the double mudplates; so I just went to installing the switches to one side and put in oversized wall plates.  The wall plates were difficult to find and I am not really liking the look of the oversized wallplate such that I will most likely replace the double gang mudplates with the original single gang mudplates sometime in the future. I have left the drywall as originally cut and it is easy now to replace the mudplate. 
 
Most of the work involved wasn't so much the electrical connectivity et al; but rather making the UPB switch footprint aesthetically pleasing reducing the two switch footprint to a one switch; multitoggle dual load switch cutting drywall and keeping the look the same.
 
Attached is a picture depicting same type / style of metal double cans in the house (almost entire home has these) and what I did relating to two automated switches and reduction to single multitoggle / dual load switches.
 
 

 

[Desert_AIP]

Placing two dimming switches in a shallow 4x4 may even violate code for cu.in. requirements (guess - I didn't do the calcs).
It's definitely a very tight fit.

 

[pete_c]

Yup; very tight fit here from original construction.  Every box; switches or outlets installed during construction is identical.  Thinking it was standard to electrical contractor at the time.  The "roundness" of the boxes and mudplates caused some issues too.  In order to fit two automated switches I had to trim some metal and the switches such that they would flush mount next to each other.  If there was any overlap then the switch cover would not lay flat.  I did use some deeper covers but had to trim plastic on these covers such that they would lay flat.
 
That said there were dimmers and GFCI outlets everywhere (but not two to a box) and those were most difficult as they were already very tight.  In Florida contractor used romex and deep plastic boxes.  These are/were much easier to deal with.  Now though back to one switch per box; way easier to deal with.