20 Most Recent Lutron Electronics MAW603RHWH Maestro 3Way Duo Dimmer - Page 3 Questions & Answers

I need more information. Are the fixtures pot lights? What kind of bulbs are you using? Floodlights, spotlights, incondescent (normal tungsten filaments) or fluorescent, compact fluorescent, led etc. Since most dimmers say in their instructions that they are designed for incondescent lighting only the bulb you use can either blow up the switch or cause troubles like you are specifying. Also inside pot lights are thermal cutoffs that trip and reset when the light is cool again. Can you remove the switchplates and see where it says incondescent only embossed into the aluminum heatsink? If it says something else, what does it say?

The dimmer when purchased probably said that it was for incondescent lighting only and you have compact fluorescents. Replace them with regular bulbs and the problem will go away. People who buy and install their own dimmers may inadvertantly buy one that is for motor control only or fluorescents only and not read the instructions on this.

some one has it wired wong

no i will use a jumper wire but i dont know where will i put it

I can't locate the Lutron D1500 dimmer switch on Lutron web site. Perhaps there is a different number for it.Anyway, you are attempting to dim a total of 800 watts of light. A standard dimmer switch will not handle this much of a load as they are rated for 600 watts. A 1000 dimmer is the next size up and would be the minimum rating to be used. This means the dimmer would be operating at 80% of capacity and the switch may become warm - but all within acceptable limits.A dimmer switch rated at 1200 watts or even 1500 watts may be a better choice, as the 800 watt load would present a load that would only be 66% and 53% (respectively) of rated capacity, and would likely run cooler and last a lot longer.The down side to these higher wattage rated switches is their cost. It is not unusual for the price to double for a 600w vs a 1000w dimmer. Sometimes, a 1000w dimmer is not sufficient to control a 600w load. This happens when 2 or more dimmer switches are installed in a single location under one wall plate. It is a fairly common arrangement for electricians to install 2, 3 or more "ganged boxes" so that there aren't 2, 3 or more individual switches clustered around a doorway. Even though a two ganged box has twice the area of a one gang box, the issue is about heat dissipation. A box will contain the heat. So the heat is given up from the front of the switch. The metal fins provide more area for cooling. When two or more dimmers are located in a multiple-ganged box, there is too much heat for the space. Two 600 watt dimmers would need to be derated to about 450 watts each (instructions for derating are included with the switch - each manufacturer has their own formulas), and if three 600 watt dimmers were in a single location, they might need to be derated to 300 watts each. So, simply moving to a 1000 watt or 1200 watt dimmer may not get you to the 600 watt level if there are several dimmers that require derating to 50%. Installing dimmers in boxes with standard "toggle" type (non-dimming) switches require no derating as toggle switches do not produce appreciable heat. Make sure that the lighting load is a type designed for dimming. The popular CFL (compact fluorescent lamps) are not designed for dimming, unless the package specifically states otherwise. Lights that have a filiment but no transformer, ballast, starter, etc. are the only ones suitable for use with a dimmer (again - unless the package / fixture states otherwise). The dimmable types are typically "standard" incandescent, quartz, halogen and tungsten types. Furthermore, a dimmer switch is not suitable for use as a fan speed control either. There are special switches to provide speed control of fan motors. Use of a dimmer on a motor load is a fire hazard. I hope this helps & good luck!

You probably had a fan/light fixture there. One set of wires (probably coming from the dimmer) would be for the light. The other set of wires (probably coming from the switch) would be for the fan. With the power off, temporarily hook up two lamps, one to each set of wires. Then turn on the power and see which switch controls which wires. It is possible that one set of wires is passing through to another light fixture - in that case, that wire will be dead. Good luck!

Most switches have two openings at each terminal. One is round to accept the stripped wire and the second is square / rectangular. The second opening is to insert a small screw driver and gently press in. This pushes the spring steel out of the way and allows the the wire to be withdrawn. You must do both at the same time however.Some lack the second opening. In order to relase the wire from the switch, you will need to twist the switch back and forth while pulling the switch and wire apart from each other. Ripping the wire out or cutting the wire off will render the switch useless as it will not be able to grip a wire again. Take your time, and of course, shut the power off.Good luck!

Hi John, I'm an electrician and I think I can help you with this problem.First and foremost, this switch's 2000VA / 1600W electrical rating is based on a incandescent load.Let's do do the math on this one.. 18 x 50 = 900 watts. So, you're under the 1600 watt capacity, but I think this is a bit more involved than this. I'd be willing to bet that you're not dimming a 12 volt circuit - but rather a 120 volt circuit that supplies one or more transformers that step the power down from 120 volts to the the 12 volt bulb voltage. A transformer is an inductive load. A transformer's inductive load is completely different than the incandescent load the dimmer is designed to control. The transformers are rated for 120 volts and will have issues including heat problems if provided less than the rated input voltage to provide a reduced output voltage you want so that you can dim these lights.This switch will not work on the output of the transformer in this situation either because the significant amperage being switched here. Each of these lamps draws a bit over 4 amps as determined by ohm's law: 50W / 12V = 4.16A. The total load at 12 volts is (again, Ohm's law) 18 x 4.16A = 74.88A ! That means the wire would need to be a #4 or #2. This is about the size of the cable on your car's battery (only amperage determines conductor size - voltage determines insulation).A dimmer on this circuit will not work unless the fixtures are changed so that no transformers are used to supply the lamps. This includes fluorescent lamps (compact or otherwise) unless the packaging specifically states that they can be used on a dimmer. You may wish to contact Lutron Hotline at 800-523-9466 for additional help and suggestions. I hope this helps & good luck!

All ground wires should be connected together. If the metal switch box has no visible ground wires in the cable assembly itself, then there is nothing to connect. It is possible that if the cables consist of an armored or metal jacket that it is providing an earth ground. The clamp that holds the armored cable in the switch box provides the continuity of the ground path in to the box and out again on any other armored cable(s). You can install a short 3/8" #10 x 32 machine screw into one of the drilled and pretapped holes in the box that is designed to provide a way to bond the ground conductor to the box. Screws like the one below are designed for this, but you can use any screw you like that fits.A green, hex head #10 x 32 ground screw for switch boxes.If the box is a non-metalic type and there is no metal clamps connecting armored cables or ground wires inside and bonded to the box, then there is no connection to be made. If the wire on the dimmer is insulated, either cut off the stripped end or place a wirenut over the end and fold the wire into the rear of the box - out of the way. If it is bare, carefully fold to the rear of the box and make sure it does not contact any live conductors. There will be no need to access it again unless installing the switch elsewhere, later.

If you are dimming it, use:
MS-OP600M-WH & MA-R-WH

If you are only planning on switching it, use:
MS-OPS6M-DV-WH & MA-AS-WH

if your breaker keeps tripping you ether have to many amps running or a wire came loose good luck

You don't really have enough information on here to diagnose this. It could be the wiring, it could be defective product, it could be that you have the wrong equipment on each end of the three-way. I would suggest getting a model number of the dimmer, and provide an understanding of what equipment you have setup at both switch locations.

That being said, do yourself a favor - rather than try to solve it through this forum which is going to take hours, if not days, to illicit a response - call the company directly. They're at 1-800-523-9466. They have free technical support, they're available 24/7, and can go through the full Q&A process to help you out.