Leviton Decora Light Dimmer Switch - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

ok shut off circuit breaker or fuse first.then remove knob on dimmer.next remove cover and screws.then remove mounting screws.loosen screws holding wires. if one is loose tighten and retrydimmer and don't forget to shut power off after trying dimmer.replace by reverse order. Make sure the wires are tightened securely.

Yes you short circuited the dimmer switch, it requires replacement to dim the light.

Check to make sure the hot conductor is feeding BOTH switches together, and
the switchlegs going to the individual loads

Bad dimmer. Probably not using a high enough watt rated switch. Add up the total of all bulbs to be dimmed and get appropriately rated dimmer. 8x60 watt bulbs=480 watts. Make sure dimmer is rated high enough.

you need a tester first fine out witch wire is hot then go from there

You cannot use standard electronic dimmer switches with CFL bulbs, only incandesant bulbs! That is why you are getting the flickering.

With CFL's bulbs installed in a light fixture that has a non-flouresant rated dimmer switch on that circuit, you will cause the standard dimmer to fail.

You have to look at the dimmer package (sometimes printed on the back of the dimmer itself too) to see if it can be used with CFL bulbs,as many are not rated for use with anything other than standard incandesant bulbs.


Hope you found this very helpful and best regards!

Are these remote controlled dimmers? Do you have failing batteries in one of the remotes? Or perhaps a new remote control device has been introduced in or near your house that interferes with the dimmer remote signal. I had a similar problem that occurred when my boys played with their remote controlled cars.

6633-pl is single-pole and 3-way dimmer made for max 600 watt incandescent or halogen load. This dimmer does not work for CFL or inductive loads such as motor.I have no idea what a 'locator light' is?? Do you mean the LED indicator that shows when power is connected?Troubleshoot section of manual does not show any solution for LED malfunction.Contact Leviton for email tech support: http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?section=37619&minisite=10251 If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Wiring is not best suspect.
If all the Leviton devices were installed same time, they may be failing at same time due to lifespan.
For example, ordinary on-off switch is a mechanical device with mechanical parts, and mechanical switches last many years longer than wiring devices that have electronic parts.
Electronic devices usually have standard 1 year limited warranty.
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCZzpHome.jsp?minisite=10025&respid=22372

Hi,
Switch the hot wire and the wire going to the light around... you are wired basackwards...

heatman101

Hello.
Had this problem my self a while back, here's what I found out. Firstly, it may simply be the switch is faulty. If this was a new install, take it back and try another. But before that, get all relevant information about the lights you are dimming. Here's why: Some light fixtures are incompatible with dimmers. They may dim - but not properly. Some lights/fixtures require specific dimmers to be used: incandescent or not, total wattage in fixture, and so on. Having this information may save you a trip if it's actually not the switch. Good luck.

Hello.
Yes, this is a problem for some models. Continuous, uninterrupted operation can create a situation where the dimmer's "triac" (or in layman's terms - power regulator) continuously fires and a resistance will develop. This will overheat and damage the "transformer". There are dimmers with low voltage and load protection capabilities available. Your local "big box" store should be able to help you there.

Hello

There are a few different reasons that can cause this issue, I'll try to be succinct.

1) Meeting or exceeding the switch load capacity - the switch's capacity should be embossed on the back of the switch. Total the bulb wattage on that switch and see how close you are. Even 375-425W on a 500Wmay buzz, a higher capacity dimmer may be required. 2) Is it actually the dimmer? Some switches actually cause the bulbs to buzz. These may be resistor-based dimmers, you will need a dimmer with an auto transformer component. 3) Is the dimmer rated for the bulb type on the circuit? A fluorescent rated dimmer may buzz with an incandescent bulb and vice-versa. 4) Some track lighting is low-voltage" rated, there are specific dimmers for this application.

Hope this helps.

Hi, I am including a diagram for the circuit. Play close attention to the colors of the wires and which red black pair comes from which 3 way switch. If you connect the wires as shown in the diagram you should have no problems.
http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.connecthowto.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/4-way-switch.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.connecthowto.com/tag/light-switch/&h=439&w=592&sz=18&tbnid=rMNfpkxCleYrwM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddecora%2B4%2Bway%2Bswitch%2Bdiagram&zoom=1&q=decora+4+way+switch+diagram&hl=en&usg=__E2jk8PVeB_J4dvbYWAfvKSaQq9U=&sa=X&ei=bmlpTd7nIcLogAfh7ujLCg&ved=0CCAQ9QEwBA

Hi,

Here is an article that will answer you question very thoroughly...

http://www.ezdiyelectricity.com/?p=441


heatman101

I would say that the problem is the dimmer switch itself -- sounds like a resistor pad issue.
I would take the switch back to where you bought it and exchange it for a new one.
double check your wiring to and from the switch to make sure it is correct.

c...

Your issue is that the dimmer is not rated to handle the type of fixture/lamps its controlling.

From a lighting control standpoint, the 12V-lamps classify as "low-voltage halogen" and, somewhere in that circuit, have a transformer(s) converting the 120V~ down to 12V~. Using incandescent dimmers (like the one you are using) can cause compatibility issues with those transformers. What I suspect is happening is that the incompatibily is either throwing voltage spikes or current spikes on the line which are causing the dimmer to enter some sort of "safety" mode to shut everything down before any problems occur.

My recommendation is to first figure out what type of transformer it is: Either magnetic low-voltage, or electronic low-voltage. Ideally you would contact the transformer manufacturer (or look up their specs online) to figure that out. Other rules of thumb: if the transformer's big & bulky, it's probably magnetic - conversely if its lightweight, it's probably electronic. If its only one transformer controlling all of the lamps together, it's probably magnetic - conversely if its one of those transformers where the transformer and light bulb come togheter as one assembled unit and then snap into the track, it's probably electronic.

Then make sure the dimmer is rated for magnetic low-voltage, or electronic low-voltage (depending upon what the transformer is).

your not doing anything wrong...some lights that have voltage reducers in them,such as cieling fans, cannot be fitted with dimmer switches, the voltage reducer,or transformer as they are sometimes known,inhibits the full flow of power....you have to get a dimmer pack suitable for working with transformer induced lights

Okay. This is going to be easy.
You're in the middle of a circuit and that's why you have 2 Romex'.
The HOT black is the line side. It comes from the panel. The not-hot black is the load side. These 2 blacks go to the brass screws on the switch. The whites tie together and don't go to the switch, UNLESS there are 2 silver screws on it, then they go there. Watch the switch to see if it's clearly marked for LINE and LOAD. In that, the HOT black goes to LINE and it's white companion (from the same Romex) goes to the LINE silver screw. The 2 from the second Romex go to the screws marked LOAD.
In the sconces, you're going to find one that has 2 sets of wires and the other has one set. (I'm betting) The one that's working better, is the first one from the switch wiring.
Open the working one with the switch turned off, of course. Disconnect the wiring going to the second light. Make sure the first light works just like you want it to.
Now, take the 2nd sconce down and see if the wires are in the right places. White to white, black to black, grounds in place, protecting wires from the others. If all that looks fine, reconnect the wire running from the first light to the second. Even though these are still opened up. turn on the switch and see if the 2nd sconce works.
If it's still buzzing, try to determine exactly where the noise is coming from.
Some dimmers won't work with florescent bulbs, some don't like halogen bulbs. SOME don't like the energy-efficient curly bulbs!
The box/instructions for the new dimmer may point out what it's NOT compatible with.
If everything's connected correctly and there's still buzzing, I'm guessing that there's some mis-match between the new dimmer and the lights.

I am assuming that this is original wiring in this box. As an electrician, I look at these wires in this manner. There are 3 wires, this is either a 3 way switch, a cable that is used with a light switch as well as passing power on to another box. This is how I see this problem with the information in the question. The black being hot, white as neutral, and the red as a return lead for a light. This is how I am looking at this as a switch feed. If you connect the black and red together, do you have the light come on? If so, then this is the correct two feeds for the light switch. The dimmer should be connected between these two wires. I am not sure if connecting between the black and white burnt out your dimmer, so I mention connecting the black and red to test for the light operation. You can also check in the light box itself, and determine which wires are connected to the light from the switch. I hope this helps. Joe