Is this the way a 3-way dimmer switch works?

[SHIRLEEN HOM]

In my dinning room I have two 3-way switches that control the light. I replaced one of the 3-way switches with a 3-way dimmer (GE push on/off). After connecting everything, the dimmer acts as a "master" switch. If the dimmer switch is on, the other 3-way switch can turn the light on or off. If the dimmer switch is off, the other 3-way switch has no affect and the light stays off.

Is this how it is supposed to work? Or did I wire something incorrectly?

The dimmer has four wires grouped in two's. A black/red pair and a black/green pair. I identified the hot wire in the box and connected it to the black wire of the black/red pair. I then connected the red and other black wire to the remaining two wires in the box without identifying them. The green wire was then connected to the ground.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Rich

[sleepdog]

Did the switch come with an insert to help you identify what each wire was intended for? If so I would start there.

The correct wire must be tied into the hot and the other two, to the travelers that go to the other switch. My guess is the red wire on the switch should be connected to the incoming hot and the two blacks to the incoming travelers.

[Joseph Meehan]

I have seen more than one version of that kind of switch and they don't use the same wiring pattern. You will need to consult the instructions that came with the switch. Note: some require their own second switch for fully function.

[RBM]

First you must identify the common on your dimmer, it's usually the odd colored wire. Next, in your switch box you will see that two of the three wires you're going to connect to the dimmer are coming from one cable, and the third wire is coming from a separate cable. Connect that "third" wire to the common and the other two to the wires that are left(order doesn't matter) connect your ground and you're done. Note that the "hot" wire would only go onto the common of the switch if you are at the "feed" side of the system. You happen to be at the "load" side, which makes your common, the wire that is going to the lights

[jeffc]

No, you wired it wrong. What kind of dimmer is it? The last one I installed had instructions and a picture. The instructions said one way, the picture showed a different way. One was correct, the other was like you described.

[dean]

The only way to do it as far as I know is the Home Depot radio signal dimmer - its around $40 and the master and slave controls talk to each other through RF and the master is the one that has the dimmer in it. Its not as nice as a regular knob or slider dimmer, but it does work

2-days like you ask.

Dean

[jeffc]

That should not be necessary.

[dean]

I think it should!