Dumb question about replacing a 3-way dimmer switch

[Jaguar Fan]

I've installed CFL floods in place of regular incandescents. I need to replace a 3-way dimmer switch with a regular 3-way on/off switch. I need to make sure I'm doing this right.

The existing Leviton Decora dimmer has 4 wires coming out of it:

Green ==> attaches via a wirenut to bunch of ground wires

Black ==> attaches via a wirenut to a black wire

Black ==> attaches via a wirenut to a red wire

Red == > attaches via a wirenut to a black wire.


The replacement 20A Leviton Decora 3-way switch has an obvious spot for the ground, a spot to insert labeled common, and on the other side of the switch two spots to attach wires.

Which is my common?

thanks!

 

[mrb]

a 3 way switch has 3 connections (besides the ground) a common and two travellers. The common is what is connected to either power or the load, and the travellers connect the two switches together.

On yours it looks like the red on the dimmer is going to be your common.

 

[Jaguar Fan]

Thanks.. so to make sure I understand, the red that is part of the dimmer, which attaches via a wirenut to a black wire that is part of the house, is the common.

Thanks!

 

[mrb]

Thanks.. so to make sure I understand, the red that is part of the dimmer, which attaches via a wirenut to a black wire that is part of the house, is the common.

Thanks!

Yes, the black wire currently connected to the red wire of the dimmer should be your common. (Make sure you verify the circuit is dead before you work on it)

 

[Torque1st]

Can you pull all of the wire connections out of the box and post a picture?

 

[Jaguar Fan]

Its all working. Many thanks, guys.

In total, I've removed & replaced a 3-way dimmer, another 3-way dimmer controlling a different set of lights, and a 2-way dimmer with standard rocker switches.

And, in total, I've replaced a dozen 75w floods each with 15w CFL floods, and 10 100w floods with 23w CFL floods, and two 150w floods with 23w CFL floods. I've left the lights on for about an hour with no tripping of a breaker.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Torque1st]

I have done the same in my house. Sounds like good work!

 

[mrb]

on a side note (and im sure your inspector wouldnt make and issue of this) but, when calculating load for a circuit you have to use the max lamp the fixture can take, not what you put in it. For example if you have 10 cans that say max 90w lamp, but you intend to put 23w CFLs in them, you still have to consider that to be 900w of load not 230.

 

[Jaguar Fan]

on a side note (and im sure your inspector wouldnt make and issue of this) but, when calculating load for a circuit you have to use the max lamp the fixture can take, not what you put in it. For example if you have 10 cans that say max 90w lamp, but you intend to put 23w CFLs in them, you still have to consider that to be 900w of load not 230.

Thanks.

This is a 16 year old custom home where I spent a year with an architect, lots of city input on plans, a separate lighting architect, and we didn't change electricians - the same guy did all the rough & finish & installing the bulbs, etc. I wonder why he missed on this? I have of course learned that city inspectors around here tend to just "drive by."

The only thing I can think of is he goofed on the panels. Inside the house I have two panels: one in the house & one inside the attached garage. All the slots for breakers are currently used in both panels. There is another panel outside the house with the main house shut-off and yet another outside by the swimming pool equipment. Maybe the electrician just goofed ordering panels that don't have enough slots for breakers and then had to wire it the way he did when no one was looking.

 

[Kevin54]

The only thing I can think of is he goofed on the panels. Inside the house I have two panels: one in the house & one inside the attached garage. All the slots for breakers are currently used in both panels. There is another panel outside the house with the main house shut-off and yet another outside by the swimming pool equipment. Maybe the electrician just goofed ordering panels that don't have enough slots for breakers and then had to wire it the way he did when no one was looking.

I know back a few years ago when I rewired my house (qualified electrician and I) that outside my house we had to wire in a seperate box under the meter that had a breaker and would kill the whole house. Code at the time stated that if the panel box was 12' or more from the meter that a seperate shutoff had to be put in, in case of any fire, flood, etc, so power could be killed and not enter the house to do it. Is that still code as I do not ever see outside breakers put in around here?

I can see a seperate panel for a pool, and I know a lot of electricians that will not load up one circuit with all that they could. Maybe that is why all of your slots for breakers are full. When I wired my new family room, I put each wall on a seperate circuit, but could have easily put all on one or two circuits.