3 way dimmer w/ switch

[clel miller]

USA, 3 Wire, 120VAC
In my bedroom there is 1 duplex outlet. The bottom half is Hot and the top half is controlled by a switch at the door.
How can I wire a 3 Way Dimmer/Switch to control that top outlet.?
I am using one of these.....
https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2012/04/S-603.pdf
My question is how to wire it.
In the wall where the switch was, there is just One, Hot, Neutral and Ground.
The dimmer has:
1 black
2 red
1 green
Can any of you guys tell me how to hook this up so I can control a lamp on the top outlet.?
Thank You

 

[Reloadron]

In the wall where the switch was, there is just One, Hot, Neutral and Ground.

Can't be. What is the color scheme in the wall? Within the box where the wall switch was there should be a hot coming in (should be Black) and a line out to the outlet (the switched outlet) hot side. The hot side on the outlet being the smaller slot. Neutral is not normally run through the switch box. Green would be ground if in fact they ran green through the switch box.

With power off at the mains disconnect (Circuit Breaker) if you can measure for continuity between the wires in the switch box and the outlet hot side. Find the wire that runs from the switch to outlet hot. If there is a white that is likely what they did. If there is a single black in the switch box that is likely the hot from the mains.

Oh yeah, observe caution when working with mains. Your post leads me to believe you are not experienced with mains power distribution.

Ron

 

[clel miller]

OK....1 white, 1 black, 1 green/bare
**broken link removed**

 

[panic mode]

is that the switch box? if so:

they run only one cable to it, so some of connections are done elsewhere and this is why it does not look exactly as the image in a dimmer manual.
it is still the same though - it is a single pole switch, ground is the bare wire, the remaining two wires go to the switch (or dimmer, see 5a).
you already removed switch so all you have to do is install dimmer:
- connect one of black dimmer wires to black wire in the box,
- connect other black dimmer wire to white wire in the box.
- connect green dimmer wire to the bare wire.

image in step 3 and 5a of dimmer manual shows same thing but slightly differently arranged because they again have illustration with two cables (one is power supply, the other goes to load which is outlet or light). therefore they pass through neutral from one cable to another (white wires with marret). they also connect all grounds together (and the box).
remaining two black wires go to switch (or dimmer).

 

[clel miller]

REALLY appreciate the help.
I think I follow you.
But (maybe it is no big deal) my dimmer has:
1 black
2 red
1 green
I have tried it with black dimmer to black in the box, and one or the other of the red dimmer to white in the box.....but I cannot get the top outlet to light a lamp.
I was getting 121 VAC at the top outlet, but the lamp will still not light.
The dimmer switch will make top outlet go from 120 to 45 VAC (I realize that does not sound correct), but the dimmer portion has no effect on the meter.
Let me hook it all up and try it one more time to verify all my info.
Thanks Again

 

[panic mode]

did you connect ground of dimmer to bare wire?
connect desk lamp as test load to wall outlet you want to control (don't forget to turn on switch on the lamp).
if it still does not work, power down the circuit (using breaker) then swap the black and red dimmer wires.

many dimmers don't care about supply and load and the wires are same color (black).
some do care and then one of the wires may be red.

standard color code is:

ground - bare or green
neutral - white
phase (supply) - black
phase (switched, going to load) - black or red

when single cable is used for switch, black is supply, white goes to load, so your connection should work (unless someone else swapped them in the other end - which can be resolved by swapping red and black as mentioned).

 

[clel miller]

OK will try what you suggested.
And yeah, I just verified my numbers from above. Will shut down and try the black and red swap......

 

[clel miller]

OK will try what you suggested.
And yeah, I just verified my numbers from above. Will shut down and try the black and red swap......my computer is on the same circuit of course.

 

[panic mode]

.....my computer is on the same circuit of course.

lol, just careful, it would not be good idea to dim computer outlet by some chance...

 

[clel miller]

Yeah, not on the dimmer circuit, just on the same breaker.
Anyway, no change after I swapped wires.
Is there ANY chance I can use/try BOTH RED wires.?
Thank You

 

[panic mode]

you mean connect them together as one red wire? you should not do that, that would bypass switch and allow continuous current flow (even if small when dimmer is turned down). so before you do anything like that, is there a switch on the dimmer (under the knob or on the knob)? all my dimmers have switch. if it is a dial instead of slide, switch may be press to toggle. see attached file for 3-way operation. basically toggling either sw1 or sw2 changes light from on to off or off to on. the idea is to place switches far from each other like in a hallway.

**broken link removed**

when one of switches is replaced by dimmer, that functionality is preserved, only one side of hallway has additional luxury of adjusting the light. so you should be able to toggle the internal switch of the dimmer and try to adjust the brightness. please make sure to use actual lamp with a light-bulb as a test load. dimmers chop the ac sinewave and tat can cause multi-meters to show wrong or meaningless reading.

if you use two red wires (and isolate or cap with marret the black one), i don't expect circuit to work at all but i don't see that posing any risk to dimmer because circuit is current limited by bulb. just make sure that ground is always connected, and insulate any unused wire (red or black).

 

[clel miller]

Really Appreciate the help so far.
Yeah, sorry, meant to say.....can I safe-off the black wire of the dimmer, and try one Red to Black and the other Red to White.
I was not thinking of putting the Reds together, but I appreciate the warning.
Unfortunately there are too many people in the house now for me to continue.
If I were a REAL electrician I would just work on it hot.....but I Am Not.
Will check back tomorrow.
Again, Thank You So Much.....

 

[panic mode]

no problem,

take care when you can focus, better safe than sorry.
installing dimmer is trivial, i did about dozen in my home.
there is nothing else to it, i thing there should be video on lutron's website if you like to explore.
i'd make sure that this box and switch (and nothing else) actually do control that particular outlet - and no other.
also that proper load (incandescent lamp with just a switch - not one that already has own dimmer, or the energy saving ones with built in ballast).
when this is confirmed, install the dimmer per earlier instructions and if it does not work, it may be time to get electrician to look at it.
troubleshooting over distance is not exactly efficient, i can't really see what you have there...

 

[clel miller]

I should have done this sooner....sorry.
I called their tech number and emailed the guy a link to this thread.
He said everything you suggested was right on the mark, and I must have a bad switch.
Got a new switch from Ace Hardware (same model) and everything works as it should.
Sorry to put you through all of that, but I do appreciate your Time/Effort.
Thanks Again

 

[Reloadron]

Glad it worked out. Nice job Panic Mode with the great advice.

Ron

 

[panic mode]

no problem, mission accomplished is always a good news.