How to Install 3 Pole Dimmer Switch Wiring
Installing 3-pole dimmer switches is no different from installing 3-Pole toggle switches. Power is brought into one of the switches using 12/2 w/Gr. Romex NMC (Non-Metallic Sheathed Cable), routed from one switch to the other using 12/3 w/Gr. Romex, and routed to the light(s) from the second switch using 12/2 w/Gr. Romex. If you are replacing existing 3-Pole toggle switches with 3-Pole dimmers, you are in luck because the proper wiring is already in-place for you. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 12/2 w/Gr. Romex NMC (Non-Metallic Sheathed Cable)
- 12/3 w/Gr. Romex cable
- DMM (Digital Multimeter)
- 3/8-inch battery powered drill/driver
- Spade bits
- Jab saw/portable jig saw
- Wire fishing tape
- Electrician's screwdrivers
- Razor knife
- Diagonal pliers/wire cutters
- Lineman's pliers/Electrician's pliers
- Wire strippers
- Needle nose pliers
- Device boxes
- Romex connectors
- 20-Ampere, 1-P (Single-Pole) CB (Circuit Breaker)
- 3-Pole dimmer switches
- Cover plates
- Yellow wire nuts
- Green wire nuts
- Black plastic electric tape
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Instructions
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1
Locate the two device boxes for the dimmer switches 46 inches above the finished floor line.
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2
Route the 12/2 Romex from the service panel to the device box closest to it, installing it far enough into the device box so that 6 to 8 inches of free conductors will be in the box when you strip the cable jacket off.
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3
Route the 12/3 Romex between the two device boxes, installing it far enough into the device box so that 6 to 8 inches of free conductors will be in the box when you strip the cable jacket off.
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4
Route the 12/2 Romex from the second device box to the lighting outlet box, installing it far enough into the device box so that 6 to 8 inches of free conductors will be in the box when you strip the cable jacket off.
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5
Install the device boxes in the wall and secure them by drawing their built-in wings up against the inside wall surface.
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6
Strip ¾ inches of insulation from the ends of all the conductors in the device boxes and in the ceiling lighting outlet box.
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7
Connect the black wire to the black light fixture wire, the white wire to the white light fixture wire and the bare copper grounding conductor to the fixture-ground wire.
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8
Connect the black wire from the service panel to the black wire on the first dimmer switch and splice the white from the service panel to the white wire leaving the device box.
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9
Connect the red and black travelers to the two traveler pigtails on the first dimmer. The traveler pigtails may be either red or some other color combination depending on the make of dimmer switch. Check the wiring diagram on the box it came in.
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10
Connect the green grounding pigtail to the two bare copper grounding conductors and install the first dimmer in the box.
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11
Connect the travelers and grounding wires to the second dimmer switch as you did the first.
Splice the white neutral as you did in the first box and connect the black pigtail to the black wire carrying power to the light fixture.
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12
Turn of the main service disconnect and install the new CB in the service panel.
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Connect the black branch circuit conductor to the CB and run the white neutral wire and the bare grounding conductor down to the panel's neutral and grounding bars, respectively.
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14
Close up the service panel, turn on the main service disconnect, turn on the new CB, and check your newly installed dimmers. You should be able to increase and decrease brightness from either location.
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