Installing 3-way dimmer

[GT!]

Just received some cooper stuff and trying to install into a 3-way config (dimmer + accesory switches). I'm having trouble matching the Cooper wiring diagrams with what I have. I appear to have 'Option 2' from this list of 3-way wiring setups: http://www.the-home-improvement-web.com/in...-way-switch.htm

It looks to me like they are assuming 'Option 1'. 'Option 2' appears to lack a neutral wire (req'd by Cooper) since everything is being fed from the 2 wires coming from the light.

Have I misunderstood this or is there any easy way to fix this? Any help appreciated.

-GT

 

[hockeypuck]

Just received some cooper stuff and trying to install into a 3-way config (dimmer + accesory switches). I'm having trouble matching the Cooper wiring diagrams with what I have. I appear to have 'Option 2' from this list of 3-way wiring setups: http://www.the-home-improvement-web.com/in...-way-switch.htm

It looks to me like they are assuming 'Option 1'. 'Option 2' appears to lack a neutral wire (req'd by Cooper) since everything is being fed from the 2 wires coming from the light.

Have I misunderstood this or is there any easy way to fix this? Any help appreciated.

-GT

If the lights are being feed, you do not have a neutral wire in your switch box. are you installling standard dimmers or are they "smart switches". If they are homeautomation switches htat need a neutral, you may be out of luck. Feeding the lights is an old style method of lighting. We do not do that anymore. I believe it was done when wire was relatively expensive in order to save money. It is alway good to have a feed in a switch box. I had to add a switch for a customer in a three gang box . The existing switches were all three ways and there was not a single feed in that box. It was monday of course. :lol:

 

[123]

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It looks to me like they are assuming 'Option 1'. 'Option 2' appears to lack a neutral wire (req'd by Cooper) since everything is being fed from the 2 wires coming from the light.
...

Hockeypuck is right, you need a neutral wire.

I was faced with this problem three times and in all cases I re-wired the electrical circuits. It wasn't easy (understatement) but I did have access to the wires via the attic.

For a 2-way circuit, the switch must be between the electrical source (Line) and the light (Load). You'll find two electrical cables within the switch box.
Line=====Switch=====Load


But some circuits are wired so the Load is between the Line and Switch. You'll find only one electrical cable within the switch box.
Line=====Load=====Switch

For a 3-way circuit, things get messier because there are several valid configurations and not all are suitable. Ideally you want the Line feeding the slave switch (a.k.a. Companion) and the Load connected to the Master switch. The cable between the two switches contains three wires (Black, White, Red).
Line====Switch=====Switch====Load

My 3-way circuit was an ugly variation where the line entered the load's gangbox first. It took a few scribbled diagrams for me to figure out what the heck was going on before I understood how I could re-wire it.

This page show several variations of how one could wire a 3-way circuit. I had to contend with what is shown in the third diagram.

 

[GT!]

Just received some cooper stuff and trying to install into a 3-way config (dimmer + accesory switches). I'm having trouble matching the Cooper wiring diagrams with what I have. I appear to have 'Option 2' from this list of 3-way wiring setups: http://www.the-home-improvement-web.com/in...-way-switch.htm

It looks to me like they are assuming 'Option 1'. 'Option 2' appears to lack a neutral wire (req'd by Cooper) since everything is being fed from the 2 wires coming from the light.

Have I misunderstood this or is there any easy way to fix this? Any help appreciated.

-GT

If the lights are being feed, you do not have a neutral wire in your switch box. are you installling standard dimmers or are they "smart switches". If they are homeautomation switches htat need a neutral, you may be out of luck. Feeding the lights is an old style method of lighting. We do not do that anymore. I believe it was done when wire was relatively expensive in order to save money. It is alway good to have a feed in a switch box. I had to add a switch for a customer in a three gang box . The existing switches were all three ways and there was not a single feed in that box. It was monday of course. :lol:

They are smart switches that I'm trying to install. House was built 1990 and it looks like I've got a lot of 3-ways wired like this (took some more apart tonight) Any tricks to fixing this? How do I run power to the switchboxes without ripping out the drywall? I've got an attic above the switches on the second floor, and a unfinished basement under the ones on the main floor.

Thanks for your help.

-GT

 

[hockeypuck]

Just received some cooper stuff and trying to install into a 3-way config (dimmer + accesory switches). I'm having trouble matching the Cooper wiring diagrams with what I have. I appear to have 'Option 2' from this list of 3-way wiring setups: http://www.the-home-improvement-web.com/in...-way-switch.htm

It looks to me like they are assuming 'Option 1'. 'Option 2' appears to lack a neutral wire (req'd by Cooper) since everything is being fed from the 2 wires coming from the light.

Have I misunderstood this or is there any easy way to fix this? Any help appreciated.

-GT

If the lights are being feed, you do not have a neutral wire in your switch box. are you installling standard dimmers or are they "smart switches". If they are homeautomation switches htat need a neutral, you may be out of luck. Feeding the lights is an old style method of lighting. We do not do that anymore. I believe it was done when wire was relatively expensive in order to save money. It is alway good to have a feed in a switch box. I had to add a switch for a customer in a three gang box . The existing switches were all three ways and there was not a single feed in that box. It was monday of course.

They are smart switches that I'm trying to install. House was built 1990 and it looks like I've got a lot of 3-ways wired like this (took some more apart tonight) Any tricks to fixing this? How do I run power to the switchboxes without ripping out the drywall? I've got an attic above the switches on the second floor, and a unfinished basement under the ones on the main floor.

Thanks for your help.

-GT

Is the other 3 way switch in a ganged box with a feed. If it is you could do a little rewireing and by putting smart switches at both ends you could free up a traveler and use it as a neutral to carry over to the original box. This is not for the faint of heart. You would have to go into the light box and disconnect the feed wire and leave it wire nutted in the box. It would be doing nothing. Take the other two wire and attach it to you light. You will in essence be feeding that light with a different wire. None of this can be done of course unless the other end of the 3 way is in a ganged box with a feed. If this were not the case, the easiest thing to do would be to fish a feed into that switch box from below in the basement. You are getting out of do it yourself territory. You might want to call a pro.