Electrical help: Dimmer replacement

[icebiker]

Any electricians in the house? I need to replace a dimmer switch but the new dimmer wires are different colors than the old one.

Old one: black, red, white and yellow. No ground as far as I can tell:




New one: black, red, red/white, green (ground)




The switch is in a three gang box and is also controlled by another switch across the room. I’ve replaced switches before but usually it’s a simple matter of matching wires. Not sure which ones to match in this case. Any guidance appreciated.

 

[iman29]

@Patrick should be able to help here.

 

[rick81721]

Any electricians in the house? I need to replace a dimmer switch but the new dimmer wires are different colors than the old one.

Old one: black, red, white and yellow. No ground as far as I can tell:

View attachment 171757


New one: black, red, red/white, green (ground)


View attachment 171758

The switch is in a three gang box and is also controlled by another switch across the room. I’ve replaced switches before but usually it’s a simple matter of matching wires. Not sure which ones to match in this case. Any guidance appreciated.

I employ the guess and try method!

 

[Mtbdog]

Was the old dimmer lighted? Is the new dimmer a multi purpose switch (i.e. for single pole or 3- way application). Look on the box the dimmer came in and it should tell you which wire is point or "hot" wire the other two are travelers. The white wire on the old dimmer may be a neutral if the dimmer is lighted. What color wires where connected to the old dimmer? Two blacks and a red possibly?

 

[icebiker]

Was the old dimmer lighted? Is the new dimmer a multi purpose switch (i.e. for single pole or 3- way application). Look on the box the dimmer came in and it should tell you which wire is point or "hot" wire the other two are travelers. The white wire on the old dimmer may be a neutral if the dimmer is lighted. What color wires where connected to the old dimmer? Two blacks and a red possibly?

Thanks. The dimmer controls 6 small spotlights in the ceiling. It’s a 3 way application and the new dimmer is rated for 3 way. All 4 wires of the old dimmer are connected in the switch box to a series of other wires. Take a look at the pic. The old dimmer wires are connected as follows:

Black wire connects to other black wires (see black circle). They are bound together by the beige wire nut.

Red wire connects to another black wire (see red circle, bound together by orange wire but)

White wire is connected to other white wires (see blue circle, bound together by beige wire nut)

Yellow wire is connected to a red wire (see yellow circle, bound by an orange wire nut)

Does this spaghetti make sense? And how should I connect the new dimmer?

Thanks

 

[Patrick]

Any electricians in the house? I need to replace a dimmer switch but the new dimmer wires are different colors than the old one.

Old one: black, red, white and yellow. No ground as far as I can tell:

View attachment 171757


New one: black, red, red/white, green (ground)


View attachment 171758

The switch is in a three gang box and is also controlled by another switch across the room. I’ve replaced switches before but usually it’s a simple matter of matching wires. Not sure which ones to match in this case. Any guidance appreciated.

What Frank said.

Green to ground
Black to.hot (prev black)
Either red to where the red and yellow were connected. Doesn't matter which if the switch on the other side of the room isn't electronic.

 

[Mtbdog]

If the new dimmer isn't lighted, disregard the white. Disconnect it from the group of white wires. Put the rest of the white tucked away in the box, won't be needing them. The black wire from the new dimmer goes to the group of black wires,the other 2 wires it doesn't matter which one goes where,they are the "travelers". Then ground it and your good. Always turn power off when installing a dimmer. To get the dimmer to fit in the multi gang plate take the side pieces that say "turn off power " off dimmer for best fit.

 

[Patrick]

If the new dimmer isn't lighted, disregard the white. Disconnect it from the group of white wires. Put the rest of the white tucked away in the box, won't be needing them. The black wire from the new dimmer goes to the group of black wires,the other 2 wires it doesn't matter which one goes where,they are the "travelers". Then ground it and your good. Always turn power off when installing a dimmer. To get the dimmer to fit in the multi gang plate take the side pieces that say "turn off power " off dimmer for best fit.

https://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocumentLibrary/3691001.pdf

Didn't see the white on the original - good catch.

i have some electronic 3-ways (actually N-ways) that use a signaling wire, rather than two carriers.
there is a master ( hot/load/neutral/signal) and slaves (hot/neutral/signal). they are just chained together.

the old x10 stuff was cool. just signaled over the powerlines.

 

[icebiker]

If the new dimmer isn't lighted, disregard the white. Disconnect it from the group of white wires. Put the rest of the white tucked away in the box, won't be needing them. The black wire from the new dimmer goes to the group of black wires,the other 2 wires it doesn't matter which one goes where,they are the "travelers". Then ground it and your good. Always turn power off when installing a dimmer. To get the dimmer to fit in the multi gang plate take the side pieces that say "turn off power " off dimmer for best fit.

Not sure what you mean by “isn’t lighted”. The dimmer controls the spotlights, so it’s “lighted, no?

 

[Mtbdog]

Not sure what you mean by “isn’t lighted”. The dimmer controls the spotlights, so it’s “lighted, no?

What I mean by lighted is when the room is dark is the switch illuminated? Sorry about any confusion.

 

[Patrick]

Not sure what you mean by “isn’t lighted”. The dimmer controls the spotlights, so it’s “lighted, no?

here is an illuminated 3-way at the base of my stairs

 

[icebiker]

What I mean by lighted is when the room is dark is the switch illuminated? Sorry about any confusion.

Ah, gotcha. It’s not lighted. Ok so I’ll give your tips a shot in the AM and report back.

 

[icebiker]

Ah, gotcha. It’s not lighted. Ok so I’ll give your tips a shot in the AM and report back.

Ok I followed your instructions and so far so good. The only thing that doesn’t seem to work now is the 2nd switch across the room. When I press it it doesn’t turn the lights off and on. Only the dimmer does. I tried switching the red/white and red wires but that didn’t change anything. Do you think it’s because I disconnected the white?

 

[Patrick]

Ok I followed your instructions and so far so good. The only thing that doesn’t seem to work now is the 2nd switch across the room. When I press it it doesn’t turn the lights off and on. Only the dimmer does. I tried switching the red/white and red wires but that didn’t change anything. Do you think it’s because I disconnected the white?

Picture of sw across room pls

Might need to pull it to get model and see how it is wired.

When you press, you mean press or toggle?

 

[icebiker]

Picture of sw across room pls

Might need to pull it to get model and see how it is wired.

When you press, you mean press or toggle?

Thanks. Pic attached. The switch in question is the left one. You’ll notice it’s a rocker type like the ones next to it. However in the case of this particular switch you could turn on/off the lights by simply pressing it in either direction. The other switches go on/off by flipping the rockers up or down. Notice the middle and right are in the up or down position whereas the left on is in a neutral state. It has always been that way and his worked fine till now

 

[moose35]

The dimmer you had and that 3-way are meant to be used together as a "set".
Just get a regular 3-way toggle switch and you'll be fine.
Or you would need to replace the original dimmer with one of the same model.

 

[Mtbdog]

What @moose35 said.
Replace this switch with a 3-way rocker and you should be good to go. 2nd pic was key.

 

[icebiker]

Ok thanks all! I’ll give that a shot and let you know. The 2nd switch only has two wires (black and yellow. I assume the three way I’ll have to buy will have at least one more wire so will probably need ya’ll’s help in connecting it. Stay tuned.

 

[Patrick]

Ok thanks all! I’ll give that a shot and let you know. The 2nd switch only has two wires (black and yellow. I assume the three way I’ll have to buy will have at least one more wire so will probably need ya’ll’s help in connecting it. Stay tuned.

wait! take a picture inside the box of where the wires are connected.
unless it is hooked to a three wire (black/red/white) - it isn't going to work, and you should find a replacement for the original Luminea.

 

[Mtbdog]

The box should have 3 wires for the 3way switch. By looking at the box you already showed us, there should be a black and red from a 14/3 in there and a black that is the switch leg (wire going to lights). This wire goes to the black screw on switch. Black and red from 14/3 goes to the other 2 screws.
This is commonly referred to as switched at one end and fed at the other end.