Junkman
Well-known member
I want to eliminate a 3 way switch. Do I just tie the 3 wires together, so the other 2 switches will still work? thanks
How to eliminate a 3 way swith
- Thread starter Junkman
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6768rogues
Banned
I am confused. If you get rid of one and there are two left, do you have a 4 way switch in the mix?
Depends which switch. Need to open up the boxes and first determine if a 3way or 4way.
Would help to sketch all wires connected at each box/switch.
Do you want to simply put a blank cover plate on the box or completely remove it?
Would help to sketch all wires connected at each box/switch.
Do you want to simply put a blank cover plate on the box or completely remove it?
It could be that simple, but sounds like there is a 4 way involved. If so, which switch to eliminate?
And is he happy with a do nothing switch/blank cover or is he planning to pull the box?
Barnabas
Well-known member
If you have two switches controlling the same light, then you have two 3-way switches.
If you have three switches controlling the same light, then you have two 3-way switches and one 4-way switch.
First you have to figure out which kind of switch you are eliminating.
Can you unscrew it from the wall and carefully pull it out from the wall and take a picture of the back side so we can see the wires connected?
If you have three switches controlling the same light, then you have two 3-way switches and one 4-way switch.
First you have to figure out which kind of switch you are eliminating.
Can you unscrew it from the wall and carefully pull it out from the wall and take a picture of the back side so we can see the wires connected?
just my $0.02
ard
Well-known member
The switch in question is a 3 way switch that replaced a Lutron Maestro MA-R, that was damaged. in the middle, there is another Lutron Maestro MA-R, and at the end of the line, is a Lutron Maestro MACL-153M. With the 3 way switch in the up possession everything worked correctly. When I originally removed the 3 way, I tied the common and 2 travelers together, and everything worked perfectly, with one exception. There power feed goes to another Lutron Maestro MACL-153M also, and that circuit isn't working properly. In reality, the feed should be coming to the MACL-153M first, but when I asked Lutron, they said that it didn't matter which direction the feed was coming from. When I first removed the 3 way switch, the light wouldn't work, and when I took it apart, it appeared that it had gotten very hot. Probably my wife using a 150 watt bulb in the socket did it in. I purchase a new porcelain socket, installed it, and put in a new LED bulb, and everything was fine for about an hour, and then she heard a pop, and the light went out. Checked the bulb in another socket, and it works fine. I am starting to wonder if it might be a defective Lutron Maestro switch, or is it possible to "blow out" a porcelain socket.
I tried to tie the power to just one of the travelers, and it wouldn't work, unless all 3 were tied together.
These light have worked this way for decades, and only recently, did I upgrade from the old Maestro Master Switches, to the latest version that also will control LED bulbs.
I tried to tie the power to just one of the travelers, and it wouldn't work, unless all 3 were tied together.
These light have worked this way for decades, and only recently, did I upgrade from the old Maestro Master Switches, to the latest version that also will control LED bulbs.
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AntonLargiader
Well-known member
You are doing almost exactly what I did. I had a 3 switch setup (with one conventional dimmer) for my kitchen cans and after I went to LEDs I eliminated one of them and put two MACLs in. I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with a super helpful and knowledgeable Lutron guy before concluding that I couldn't have a flip switch in the third location (I didn't want a paddle there). It was pretty much at the end of the line and I just went through and diagrammed out the wires, and figured out what to connect and what to ignore to make it electrically the same as a 2-location three-way. Then I hooked it up per the MACL instructions, which ARE different especially when it comes to three locations. I wonder if you have damaged an MACL by hooking it up to the 3-way in a 3-switch configuration. That is essentially exactly what I couldn't do.
And, it seems you are now using an MACL with an MA-R? Did the Lutron guy say that would work? The MA-R is a master/slave system and the MACL is peer-peer, right?
I think tying the common to both travelers is wrong in this case. You just want to tie it to one, so you have a common in the next spot.
And, it seems you are now using an MACL with an MA-R? Did the Lutron guy say that would work? The MA-R is a master/slave system and the MACL is peer-peer, right?
I think tying the common to both travelers is wrong in this case. You just want to tie it to one, so you have a common in the next spot.