It sounds like someone has put a single pole switch in a system that needs two three ways. Part of the problem is that there needs to be the right wiring between the switches. There has to be two hot wires*. There also may need to be a neutral wire, depending on the wiring configuration.

Why is my 3 way light not working?

3-Way Bulbs



With a 3-way bulb, if it isn’t working at all, it’s probably dead. You can test it by moving it to a working 3-way socket, but it’s very rare that both elements of a 3-way bulb will fail at the same time. But if part of it is coming on and the other part isn’t, the problem may be with the socket.

Why is my dimmer switch not working correctly?





If your dimmer switch suddenly stops working, there could be issues with the electrical wiring. If it’s not installed correctly or the wires come loose, the switch might stop working. You might hear a buzzing or crackling sound if wiring is the issue. When you suspect a wiring issue, hire an electrician to inspect it.

What happens if 3 way switch is wired wrong?

If you don’t correctly connect this wire, then your lights won’t work from more than one switch. Grounding the switch: You’ll also need to locate the ground wire and connect it to the switch too.

How do you test a 3 way dimmer switch?


Quote from Youtube video: Now we move the switch to the top position you can hear the tone. And you can see the meter. Is going to all zeros. Here. We have a good connection on this side of the switch.

Why does my 3 way dimmer switch not work?

It sounds like someone has put a single pole switch in a system that needs two three ways. Part of the problem is that there needs to be the right wiring between the switches. There has to be two hot wires*. There also may need to be a neutral wire, depending on the wiring configuration.

How do you troubleshoot a 3 way switch?





Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Taken the plate off and pulled out the switch. The power originates from this location. And everything looks great okay however over here i found a problem.

Why are my dimmable lights not dimming?

One of the most apparent reasons for dimmer switches not being able to dim all the way is the lack of compatibility between the dimmer and bulb you have used. There are dimmable bulbs and non-dimmable bulbs; if you were to use a non-dimmable bulb with a dimmer switch, it wouldn’t work out at all.

How do you reset a dimmable light switch?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And we're just gonna reset it by pressing this top button three times and then you hold on the third. Press the lights are gonna light up here after you hold it down for 10 seconds.

How do you reset a dimmer switch?

Resetting The Dimmer



Switch on the dimmer and turn the dimmer knob folly clockwise to the maximum brightness position. By pressing the dimmer knob, turn the lights Off and then back On again three times. Leave a second between each dimmer knob press.

Can you wire a dimmer switch wrong?



You’ll need a screwdriver, wire stripper, inexpensive (2 lead wire type) voltage tester and needle-nose pliers to install a dimmer. Wiring problems and mistakes are all too common, and if left uncorrected have the potential to cause short circuits, shocks and even fires.

Can you have a dimmer on a 3 way switch?

Dimmer switches can be installed on a three-way switch. This allows two controls to turn the light on and off, with a third switch left for the dimming function. Three-way switches can be used with single-pole applications when installing a dimmer switch.

How do you fix a 3 way improperly wired switch?

Turn the power back on at the circuit breaker. Touch the probes to the 3 wires removed from the switch until you get a reading on the tester indicating continuity. The third wire is the common wire that feeds the light fixture and is connected to the black screw on the switch. Replace both switches and covers.

How do you troubleshoot a 3-way wire?



How to Troubleshoot Three-Way Switches

  1. Turn off power to the switches at the circuit breaker and using a tester, make sure power is off. …
  2. Using a continuity tester, check continuity between the common (black) terminal and each of the traveler terminals (brass colored) of each 3-way switch.

Why does my light stay on when the switch is off?

The most likely error is that the wire going to the light that stays on is contacting one of the live wires. To check, disconnect all the wires from each other, turn on the breaker and use a voltage tester to identify the live circuit wire.

How do I know which wire is common on a 3-way switch?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: If no house current is found on any of the three wires. Go to the other switch. And do the same thing one of the wires will have house current and that wire is the hot wire mark.

How do you wire a 3-way dimmer switch?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: The first is by wrapping the wire clockwise around the screw and tightening. It the second is by placing the wire under the screw terminal plate and tightening the screw.

What is the black screw on a 3-way switch?



This screw serves one of two purposes depending on where it is positioned in the circuit run: Either it accepts the incoming black (hot) wire from the power source, or it connects to the black (hot) wire that leads onward to the light fixture.

What color wires go on a 3-way switch?

3-Way Switch Wire Colors



There is no standard for wire colors on 3-way switch travelers. The colors will vary depending on whether NM cable or conduit was used. With NM cable, the wire colors for travelers will be black and red using 3-wire cable. With conduit, the wire colors for travelers could be any color.

What is the red wire in a 3 way switch?

The black hot wire connects to the far right switch’s common terminal. Red and blue wires link traveler terminals of both switches. The red wire, which is connected to the first switch’s common terminal, leads back to the fixture.

How can you tell if a wire is live or neutral?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: If you don't get a voltage reading the wire is neutral. If you get a reading the wire is hot you can also use color coding to identify. Hard neutral and ground wires.