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Trying to get constant current from box with 3 way dimmer??

Trying to get constant current from box with 3 way dimmer??


  #1  
Old 04-29-19, 05:18 PM
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Question Trying to get constant current from box with 3 way dimmer??

I am trying to get a constant hotline to some wall sconces that have a separate off on switch at the sconce. The hot line that runs into the box is a 3-way wire and its hooked up to a 3-way dimmer. Is this possible because no matter what I did, as soon as I hit the switch the sconces went out too?

So I have 3 groups of wires coming in the box.
Group 1 is to the can lights
Group 2 is the 3 way with hot
Group 3 is to the wall sconces.
 
  #2  
Old 04-29-19, 05:20 PM
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If it is a single cable with three wires + ground then you can't do it. You don't have a neutral.
 
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Old 04-29-19, 05:23 PM
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Its all new wire with neutrals. Wish I could upload a picture but it says I used up my upload space... Any way to delete old uploads?
 
  #4  
Old 04-29-19, 05:26 PM
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Not all whites are neutral. If the white is attached to the switch then it is not a neutral.
 
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Old 04-29-19, 05:33 PM
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Here is a picture. Maybe I can rearrange the wires to get this to work?

Name:  switch.jpg
Views: 159
Size:  57.7 KB
 

Last edited by PJmax; 04-29-19 at 08:53 PM. Reason: imported pic from link
  #6  
Old 04-29-19, 07:51 PM
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OK you do have neutral there. That bundle of whites is a neutral.
 

Last edited by PJmax; 04-29-19 at 07:55 PM. Reason: removed picture
  #7  
Old 04-29-19, 07:56 PM
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Thanks joed for posting the picture.
 
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Old 04-29-19, 08:28 PM
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Thanks for fixing the picture.

Is it because I have the sconce neutral tied in with the 3-way neutral?
 
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Old 04-29-19, 08:50 PM
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You cannot connect the scones there. The three wire cable is two travelers and a neutral. The two wire cable is the can lights. Yes..... you do have neutral there but you only have switched power.

The three way switch at the other end is the hot end.

I also went back and freed up 2mb of storage for you.
 
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Old 04-29-19, 09:01 PM
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Ok, that makes sense. I didn't realize the hot was actually at the other end.

I can just run a separate hot from the box next to it. I may even have enough sconce wire to redirect it into the other box.

Thank you for the help and freeing up some upload space
 
  #11  
Old 04-29-19, 09:32 PM
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Yes. That's why the switches are affecting the power. It either comes in on the black traveler or red traveler depending on the switch position at the other end.
 
  #12  
Old 04-30-19, 09:35 AM
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By code, can I run another wire into this box to grab a hot? It currently has 4 wires going in. I know code only allows a certain amount of wires per cubic inch or something...just not sure exactly
 
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Old 04-30-19, 11:19 AM
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That looks like #14 wiring and it is a two gang deep box. It looks like there is room for an additional two wire cable.
 
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