Question for Electricians: 3 Way Light Switches and Dimmers

[Dwight_Frye]

My new home is illuminated throughout with ceiling flush mounted 8" LED domes. They are 950 lumens/15 watts each. Several zones are controlled with 3 way switches.
Those things are way too bright !
I would like to install a dimmer in place of one of the 3 way switches in a few zones to control the lighting, especially in the living room when watching TV.
Are there dimmers compatible with 3 way switches ? I have installed dimmers as wall switches many times before when conventional 2 way switches are utilized but am a bit stumped with the 3 way controls.

 

[mk378]

There are three-way dimmers. Simply replace one of the switches. When you turn the light on with the other switch, it will be at the brightness previously set on the dimmer.

The LED bulbs or fixtures must be rated as dimmable. Also use a dimmer made for LED.

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by mk378
There are three-way dimmers. Simply replace one of the switches. When you turn the light on with the other switch, it will be at the brightness previously set on the dimmer.

The LED bulbs or fixtures must be rated as dimmable. Also use a dimmer made for LED.


I am not an electrician.


This is correct per my experience, however. I chose the HD Reveal bulbs from GE.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted by mk378
There are three-way dimmers. Simply replace one of the switches. When you turn the light on with the other switch, it will be at the brightness previously set on the dimmer.

The LED bulbs or fixtures must be rated as dimmable. Also use a dimmer made for LED.

^This. You can install a dimmer, but only at one switch location, not both.

 

[mahansm]

If the light is controlled by more than two switches then the ones in the middle will be 4-ways. You will need to get a 3-way dimmer and use it to replace one of the 3-way switches.

 

[14Accent]

Originally Posted by exranger06
Originally Posted by mk378
There are three-way dimmers. Simply replace one of the switches. When you turn the light on with the other switch, it will be at the brightness previously set on the dimmer.

The LED bulbs or fixtures must be rated as dimmable. Also use a dimmer made for LED.

^This. You can install a dimmer, but only at one switch location, not both.


Not true, I installed a dimmer in my kitchen which has 8 pot lamps, using LED BR30's. There's a switch by the interior kitchen entrance, and a switch by the rear entrance door to the house on the opposite wall. I installed a Lutron Maestro motion-sensing dimmer on the interior side switch position, and installed a companion dimmer on the opposite switch near the back door. Here's what I used:

Main switch

Companion dimmer

You wouldn't need the one with the motion sensor, necessarily. I like the functionality.

 

[Macsignals]

Yes you can replace one of the 3-ways with a 3-way dimmer, LED compatible of course. Not knowing what lights are in your house I say install a Lutron (avoid Leviton dimmers, I never get more than three years out of them before callbacks) and see how they work. If they flicker then swap the fixtures (if the LED is integrated/non-replaceable) or bulbs.

As 14Accent posted you can also use the Lutron Maestro series if you want dimming capability from both locations. Either option is not hard to install. Of course if you don't feel comfortable or if something doesn't work and you can't figure it out find an electrician to get it done.

 

[Leo99]

I installed a 3 way dimmers on the chandelier in my foyer and my kichten island pendants. Think it cost like $50 each for the dimmers.

 

[Dan55]

If you can replace the lamps with a lower lumen lamp I would try that first. Led dimmers, even when compatible are marginal at best. I have 2 led integrated fixtures outside ,one has already failed on a two year old home.

 

[P10crew]

Do it your fine

 

[Donald]

Get a dimmer designed for LED lights. Not all are.

 

[Dwight_Frye]

The contractor left 3 extra light fixtures. They are made by Hamilton Hills and have 50,000 hour rated LED's. The packaging also shows that they are dimmable. I have cathedral ceilings in all areas except the bathrooms and hallway so changing them out would not be a simple task. I will look for some Lutron 3 way dimmers that are LED compatible. It should be an easy swap out for one of the 3 way switches in each zone that needs some attenuation. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Dwight_Frye]

I installed Lutron Diva C-L dimmers in a couple of zones. While they do dim, they don't dim down as far as I would like. There is a little adjustment lever under the switchplate that is marked + - that is supposed to be able to fine tune it but there seems to be no difference in the minimum illumination range. I live in a ranch style house with a long hallway from the living room to the bedrooms and bathroom that I would like to leave illuminated at night but just barely and it is still too bright.

I had a Lutron Maestro Model dimmer on an overhead halogen fixture in my previous home and it would go completely dark at the minimum level. Maybe I should try another model ?