![]() Using your original image - not the one posted by 'Harper' - the Black wire on the dimmer is connected to the Black wire going to the light fixture(s). Identify the Black and Red wires coming out of the SAME SLOT on the back of the dimmer. In this case, the White wire must be colored Black or otherwise identified as a "hot" wire by wrapping it with a piece of black electrical tape. ![]() In your particular installation, however, a White wire is in fact used as a "hot" wire on both the dimmer and the switch. In other words, only Black or Red wires are ever connected to the switch (or dimmer) itself. One simple rule to remember is that switches (and dimmers in your case as well) are always wired "hot". Sorry for being so confusing earlier this morning - I was tired and not completely "with it" yet! This also gives you always-hot and neutral at the far switch if you want to extend the circuit. In that case, the between-switches /3 becomes black=always-hot, white=neutral and red=communication. Your wiring layout lends itself well to smart dimmers with a wired communications line. ![]() Some smart switches use wireless or power-line signaling. The way to fix that is smart dimmers where you have a dimming control at each location. That's a Code violation since the switch doesn't turn on a light in the room. If the dimmer is turned way down, flipping the switch at the other location would provide a very dim light. ![]() The wiring of this dimmer forces you to put it in one location (only place you have black-yellow-yellow, the far switch). This is to benefit guests (so they don't hurt themselves) and first responders (so they can work). Certain (most) switches are required, and required switches must turn on a light and give usable light. You notice that most of the time, switches are in an obvious place: that's because Code requires that. Depending on the application, it may violate the building codes. What about that dimmer? I'll sneak you to the end, although given what I just showed you, it may be fairly obvious. Now you're marked just like this diagram. On the /3 cable between switches, you are using red and white as travelers, so mark them yellow. On your spur cable to the lamp, mark the black wire red on both ends. So get a 5-pack of colored electrical tape. I prefer color codes of black for always-hot, red for switched-hot (hot when you want the light on), and yellow for travelers. Instructions cannot possibly tell you how to wire when every circuit is different.Ĭode requires that neutral be white (if it's present).That falls apart in a hurry in 3-way circuits since every one is different. You are learning "by rote" - that means repeating a thing mechanically without functional understanding.This is why I intentionally use colored tape to remark the wire color by function. Even experts have to work through it, it's ridiculous. In 3-way circuits, colors are worse than useless because you have 4 functions and 3 colors to define them, and no two circuits are alike.The colors are to distinguish the wires from each other, not define meaning/purpose. Cables are made that way, with the same 2-3 wire colors, and gets used for everything. In mains electrical, color codes often mean far less than you'd hope.This is normal and all will be explained as you learn. It's confusing to you merely because you are a novice in this area. Let's say I'll put it in the 1st box (the one on the left of the diagram) - I'm still confused on which switch wires to connect to each of the three colors in the box. which specific wires on the back of the switches should connect to the specific color wires in the boxes?ĮDIT - I somehow overlooked the note in the instructions that you can only use one dimmer in a 3-way application. The switch has: - two red wires (one is tagged with red tape also), one black wire, and a green ground wire as follows:Ĭan anyone tell me in simple terms (keeping in mind I don't fully understand terms like "common", "line/load", etc), and specifically based on the exact wiring diagram above, how exactly I should connect the Leviton switches (i.e. The wires coming out of the back are not colors that match the colors of the wiring.The example circuit in the instructions doesn't match the one I've wired in the diagram above.The instructions are written as though someone is replacing existing switches (referencing the screw-colors on the old switch) but since my circuit is new, I don't have that to reference.It is confusing me for the following reasons: I have a 2-pack of Leviton 6674 Dimmers, which came with the following wiring instructions: I have wired a new 3-way circuit in a bunk-house exactly as shown in the following diagram, with wire types and colors matching those in the diagram 100%:
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