Installing Lutron Maestro multi-location switches. Where does neutral wire attaches to at the end of circuit?

If there is only a white and black and ground coming into the box from the fixture then that white is probably really a black. The black is hot, meaning it has power. The white takes the power back to the light. If you can open the light fixture box and see what wires power the light.

you should be able to by hooking up the black wire on the dimmer to the hot wire(that comes from the electrical panel) in the wall box and the red wire from dimmer to the switch leg(the wire that goes to light fixture). if the dimmer has a white wire(nuetral wire) you will need to hook that up to the white wires in the wall box....CAUTION!!! when removing the old 1 pole switch, there should only be 2 wires and possibly a green or bare copper ground wire attached to it. if either of the 2 wires(not the ground) are white, IT IS MISLABLED OR MISCOLORED. DO NOT hook the dimmers white wire to it cuz it will fry the dimmer. If this is the case, then most likley you do not have a nuetral in the wall box but look anyway for a couple of white wires tied together with a wire nut and stuffed in the back of the box. if you find those than most likely thats your neutral(check with a wiggy or meter to be sure) and thats where the dimmers white wire goes. hook up the dimmers green wire to a green or bare copper wire in the wall box and then put a wire nut on the dimmers red w/white stripe wire.

Hello. There could be a couple of possibilities. First is the simplest to verify, is it a Companion Dimmer, Standard Dimmer switches or a 600W or 1000W Maestro Wireless Multi-location Dimmer. The Maestro Companion Dimmers can not be used individually, as they do not control a load, and must be used along with a Maestro or Maestro Wireless Multi-location Dimmer. The Campanion Dimmers are also a line/low voltage rating, and rated for incandescent and halogen but may not handle some flourescent fixtures. The other thing I can think of is that you may have interfearence from another item. They are radio frequency (RF) devices that communicate together for wireless control of lights. Here's two links that may be of some help, the second has downloadable install instructions.

http://www.smarthome.com/6601LA/Lutron-MA-R-LA-Maestro-Companion-Dimmer-Switch-Light-Almond/p.aspx

http://www.prolighting.com/lumamaprsmre.html

Hope this helps out, don't forget to rate this answer.

Thank You,
Richard

1) If this installation was working before, the Maestro has a small pull-out circuit breaker that lets you reset the device. This is called the FASS Front Accessible Service Switch, located at bottom of dimmer where it meets cover plate.
Open sample Lutron Maestro dimmer manual to see FASS illustration
http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocumentLibrary/0301106A.pdf

2) If this is new installation, then double-check your wiring and check that load matches dimmer capacity: 600 watt incandescent or halogen, which apparently excludes CFLs.
Some electronic devices have shortened lifespan on circuits that are not clean. Use circuit analyzer on nearby outlet that is on same breaker to see if line has interference.

3) Lutron has customer service numbers:
1.888.LUTRON1 (588.7661)
1-800-523-9466

Add a comment for more free help.
Also take advantage of fixya phone service.
For a price, expert speaks with you over phone while you work on dimmer or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

1) If this installation was working before, the Maestro has a small pull-out circuit breaker that lets you reset the device. This is called the FASS Front Accessible Service Switch, located at bottom of dimmer where it meets cover plate.
Open sample Lutron Maestro dimmer manual to see FASS illustration
http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocumentLibrary/0301106A.pdf

2) If this is new installation, then double-check your wiring and check that load matches dimmer capacity: 600 watt incandescent or halogen, which excludes CFLs apparently.
Some electronic devices have shortened lifespan on circuits that are not clean. Use circuit analyzer on outlet on same breaker to see if line has interference.

3) I don't see MAW-600 W listed among Maestro dimmers, so I don't have that specific manual.
http://www.lutron.com/Service-Support/Technical/InstallationInstructions/Pages/InstallationInstructions.aspx?syst=Dimmers+%26+Switches&prodn=Maestro%C2%AE+dimmer+%26+switch

4) Amazon certainly shows the MAW-600 W, in case you need a replacement.
http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-MAW600H-WH-Electronics-Maestro-Dimmer/dp/B000BPCWQE

5) Lutron has customer service numbers:
1.888.LUTRON1 (588.7661)
1-800-523-9466

Add a comment for more free help.
Also take advantage of fixya phone service.
For a price, expert speaks with you over phone while you work on dimmer or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

Lutron Maestro MAW-600 manual:
Single-Pole 600 Watt Halogen/ Incandescent Dimmer (minimum 40 Watt)
http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocumentLibrary/0301106A.pdf

Lutron technical support 1.800.523.9466




You said pendant lights blew out.
How many total watts were those lights?
Did you remove aluminum break-away fins on side of device to match wattage?

Front indicator can be pulled out to cut power to circuit.
This is called FASS switch.
Try pulling out FASS switch and then pushing it back to see if it re-sets device.
Click breaker on-off to see if it resets device.
You replaced a single-pole switch that has two wires plug ground wire.
Each wire from switch goes to either screw on MAW-600 so it's hard to go wrong there.
Bare copper goes to green ground screw.
Otherwise, it looks like tech support is next step: 1800-523-9466

If you bought the 3-way package, there should've been two products included: the MA-600- and the MA-R. First of all, if this is a four way circuit, that means you currently have at least three switch locations. The package you bought takes cares of two of those locations, but to get the third, you need another MA-R. If there are more locations than that, each additional location requires an MA-R.

It doesn't matter which product (the MA-600 or the MA-R) you put at each location. They all wire the same.

At the 3-way locations (ends of the lighting circuit), install the dimmers just like you would a standard 3-way switch. The only thing I caution you, make sure that the blue screw on the dimmer is connected to one of the traveller wires going to the next switch box. Also note what color wire its attached to - because when you go to that next switch box, the blue screw of that dimmer needs to tie to that same wire. At the 4-way switch box, the most important thing to remember is this.... make sure all the blue screws are connected together (which is why its important to know WHICH wire is connected to the 3-way switches).

As long as you have enough product and you tie the blue screws together, it should work.

The dimmer is worn out

Wall switches and dimmers don't come apart for repairs >> nobody sells parts >> and the wiring didn't suddenly go bad.

Because the switches are relatively inexpensive, there aren't kits to repair them when they fail mechanically. Your best bet is to get an exact replacement from a Home Depot or such, turn off the breaker switch, and rewire it exactly as it was, using wire nuts and tape.

This dimmer was not made to dim a load smaller than 40VA. That halogen bulb would only have been 20VA or so.

http://www.lutron.com/cms400/PageBuyNow.aspx?id=16977&mn=1815

I think that when your bulb burnt out, the dimmer over-volted the transformer and smoked it. That said, I think you have a fixture problem and, possibly, a switch problem, too.