I have a home built in 1950. The two hallway lights are controlled by 3-way switches at both ends of the hallway. Each switchbox has two black wires (one common) and one white. I replaced one of the switches with a dimmer switch with two black wires, one red and one green. The red is attached to the white, the common black to the common black and the other black to the other black. The green is unconnected.
The result is that the hallway lights now turn on (and dim) from the new switch. If the new switch is on, the other switch will turn the lights off and on. If the new switch is off, the other switch will not operate the lights at all.
I have replaced the non-dimming switch hoping that it might be defective. No luck. I have researched home repair books looking for a clue on how to put a 3-way dimmer on a 1950’s two wire system.
I’m stuck. Any help would be appreciated.
Replies
I would suggest you ask this on the Breaktime forum--some sparkies there can probably give you good answers. Good luck.
I tried to edit my last reply--Prospero doesn't seem to know I wrote it, so it won't let me edit it. Anyway, read "Three Way Switch Woes" in the Breaktime forum and I think you'll have some good answers; another guy wrote with a similar problem in a 30's vintage house.
Get this.
Ive got a 30's house w/ 3way switching.
But I dont think anyone could explain why my kitchen overhead and 2nd floor hallway are on opposite ends of the same 3way circuit ?
So when you are scooting down the hall at 5am in January and you turn on the hall light you, just turned the light off in the kitchen and your spouse just poured scalding coffe onto their lap or countertop or on the cat.
So you sit and wonder .......... WHAT WERE THEY THINKING !!!!!
Maybe the original owner hated his wife--or was trying to driver her crazy!
Actually, my wife brought this up when I was talking to her--someone probably remodeled and tied into a junction box that was controlled by the switch away from the kitchen, not knowing that now they were making the new light part of the old circuit? Is that possible?--I thought 3-way switches had to have a third wire. As they say on the Lowes' comercial "I am NOT and electrician."
Edited 3/1/2005 6:29 pm ET by Danno