Placement of Dimmer on 3-Way

Does it make a difference which of the 2 switches I replace with the appropriate dimmer switch on a 3-Way light?

Reply to
Jim Jacobs
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"Jim Jacobs" wrote in news:2AMWg.5371$Lv3.2997 @newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net:

Is it a three way dimmer? If not, then neither switch has to be replaced, AFAIK......rather, you have to add the dimmer as an additional switch to the circuit. The three way switches control the power going to the lighting unit.....the dimmer will only be used for controlling the amount of light level you wish the light unit to emit. Therefore, the dimmer is added between the switches and the lighting unit.

BTW, if you add a non-three way dimmer switch to the circuit, there is always the potential that the dimmer switch will be turned completely off, in which case, the three way switching system becomes inoperative until the dimmer switch is once again turn to it's on position. To circumvent this eventuality, it probably would be just better to install just a dimmer unit without any switching capabilities rather than a dimmer switch.

Reply to
propman

No.+

Reply to
Goedjn

Just so it is in the location that you are most likely to want to dim the lights. Seems obvious, but I told my builder I wanted my can lights on a dimmer and he put the dimmer as the switch near the outside door. It would be more convenient near the hallway door which is closer to the 'living space', so I'm going to have to swap them.

Reply to
Mark

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