Caseta dimmer intall problem

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03-13-2015, 01:34 PM
ecopoesis

Caseta dimmer intall problem

I'm trying to install a Caseta dimmer to replace a 3-way circuit. Per the instructions, I've removed one of the existing 3-way switches, trying its 3 wires together. On the other end, I've tied the 2 travelers to one of the dimmer's legs and the third wire to to the other leg.

When I turn on the circuit, the Caseta dimmer doesn't appear to start. The dimmer's LEDs do not turn on, and the buttons do not do anything. However, the light attached to the dimmer is turns on. If I replace the Caseta dimmer with a basic single pole single throw switch, the circuit works as expected, and I can turn on and off the light. Looking at the voltage across the switch, it's 120 as expected.

I've tried two different Caseta dimmers (I have a bunch because I'm rewiring this whole floor) and both show the same behavior.

Any one have any ideas what could be going on?
03-25-2015, 04:18 PM
Kevin P.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecopoesis

I'm trying to install a Caseta dimmer to replace a 3-way circuit. Per the instructions, I've removed one of the existing 3-way switches, trying its 3 wires together. On the other end, I've tied the 2 travelers to one of the dimmer's legs and the third wire to to the other leg.

When I turn on the circuit, the Caseta dimmer doesn't appear to start. The dimmer's LEDs do not turn on, and the buttons do not do anything. However, the light attached to the dimmer is turns on. If I replace the Caseta dimmer with a basic single pole single throw switch, the circuit works as expected, and I can turn on and off the light. Looking at the voltage across the switch, it's 120 as expected.

I've tried two different Caseta dimmers (I have a bunch because I'm rewiring this whole floor) and both show the same behavior.

Any one have any ideas what could be going on?

ecopoesis,

What type of lights are being connected to the Caseta Dimmer?
What is the amount of wattage?

If using LEDs, verify the bulbs are on the 150W LED/CFL Compatible Bulb List found on www.lutron.com/led. If your are using LED bulbs that are not on that list then unfortunately we cannot guarantee the performance or operation of the those bulbs.
03-25-2015, 04:39 PM
ecopoesis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin P.

ecopoesis,

What type of lights are being connected to the Caseta Dimmer?
What is the amount of wattage?

If using LEDs, verify the bulbs are on the 150W LED/CFL Compatible Bulb List found on www.lutron.com/led. If your are using LED bulbs that are not on that list then unfortunately we cannot guarantee the performance or operation of the those bulbs.

They are Philips SlimStyle A19. There are three of them. We use these same lights on many other Caseta dimmers with no problems.

As I said, the problem isn't with dimming, it's with the Caseta not working at all. When power is applied to a circuit, the light it just on with no LEDs lit on the Caseta. None of the buttons on the Caseta do anything.
03-30-2015, 05:46 PM
Kevin P.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecopoesis

They are Philips SlimStyle A19. There are three of them. We use these same lights on many other Caseta dimmers with no problems.

As I said, the problem isn't with dimming, it's with the Caseta not working at all. When power is applied to a circuit, the light it just on with no LEDs lit on the Caseta. None of the buttons on the Caseta do anything.

If you move the dimmers to another circuit that is working, do they still work there? If they work in another circuit then it would indicate an issue with the bulbs, fixture, or wiring.

Can you change the bulbs out for Incandescent bulbs? If the dimmers work with Incandescent then it would narrow down to a bulb compatibility.
12-30-2015, 11:55 PM
random0000

Did you ever get this working? I am running into the same thing - replacing existing, 3-way, Lutron Maetro (master/slave) which works great for dimming my kitchen Philips led lights. On the Pico side I just capped all three wires per the video. On the switch side I connected one wire to the 'gold' screw side and then capped the remaining 2 wires with the other switch wire. I don't have a ground so I just capped the switch ground wire. When power it applied the lights come on but the switch does nothing.

Thanks for any help.
12-31-2015, 09:39 AM
ecopoesis

No, I never got this to work. It's frustrating because that is the only light on that floor not on Caseta.
06-06-2016, 12:43 AM
skullfest

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecopoesis

No, I never got this to work. It's frustrating because that is the only light on that floor not on Caseta.

I had this exact same problem. Two Caseta dimmers, one worked, the other didn't. In my case the dimmer that didn't work was wired directly with the hot and to the pigtail for the dimmer that did work, when it should also have it's own pigtail to the hot. Basically, you need to connect the non working dimmer via the common pigtail to the hot, not directly off it.
09-01-2016, 11:11 AM
djlk1

I had the exact same issue. To solve it, instead of bridging all three wires in the same cap on Page 4 Step 13, I capped the tagged (hot) wire separately. This way there was only one hot going into the dimmer. This fixed the issue and allowed the dimmer to start (green leds to light up). I hope this helps!
01-10-2018, 08:24 PM
gavins

Quote:

Originally Posted by djlk1

I had the exact same issue. To solve it, instead of bridging all three wires in the same cap on Page 4 Step 13, I capped the tagged (hot) wire separately. This way there was only one hot going into the dimmer. This fixed the issue and allowed the dimmer to start (green leds to light up). I hope this helps!

For the record, this was the fix for me too. No problem now.
11-23-2018, 09:34 PM
sigtrap

Quote:

Originally Posted by djlk1

I had the exact same issue. To solve it, instead of bridging all three wires in the same cap on Page 4 Step 13, I capped the tagged (hot) wire separately. This way there was only one hot going into the dimmer. This fixed the issue and allowed the dimmer to start (green leds to light up). I hope this helps!

I had this issue and swapped the black wires from the dimmer switch and this solved the problem. Even though Lutron states they are inter-changeable, a 3 way may be the exception.
01-19-2019, 03:32 PM
mengovitz

Tried all four combinations

I can’t get any of these combinations to work:

Dimmer top wire wired to red tagged wire
Dimmer bottom wire to black and white wires
2nd switch black and white and red capped

Dimmer bottom wire wired to red tagged wire
Dimmer top wire to black and white wires
2nd switch black and white and red capped

Dimmer top wire wired to red tagged wire
Dimmer bottom wire to black and white wires
2nd switch black and white capped
2nd switch red capped

Dimmer bottom wire wired to red tagged wire
Dimmer top wire to black and white wires
2nd switch black and white capped
2nd switch red capped

All four of those combinations don’t work.

This sucks. What else should I try?
03-20-2019, 08:23 PM
theoreticalb

I had a very similar behavior to the one described here: replaced a three-way, the lights turned on (at sort of a dim level) but didn't respond to the switch. Tried a bunch of the advice in this thread without luck. I knew the switch was getting power because the LEDs lit up for a reset (tap on three times holding for five seconds on the third tap, then tap three more times once the lights are flashing).

Ultimately: I tried swapping the bulbs: five 4W LED Candelabras SEEMED like they'd be enough draw to work, and I'd had that working elsewhere in the house, but for whatever reason they weren't enough on this fixture. Replaced with five 6W LED bulbs and everything worked fine. Just replacing ONE bulb was actually enough to get the switch responding, but it still had issues until they were all swapped out (the lights were fine at low dim but flashed at higher ones).

Anyway, FYI in case that helps anyone else.
03-26-2019, 10:02 AM
CKBuilding

I had the same situation while installing the caseta dimmer and 3-way pico remote per the instructions. My work around was I installed a standard 3-way lutron flapper switch where the pico remote would go. Created the loop it needed to work correctly. Now everything is fine.
06-13-2019, 10:30 AM
NewWorldViking

I had the exact same symptoms. No LEDs on the Caseta dimmer switch, switch buttons wouldn't work. LED lights on the switch had quick flashes at a rate of about 2/sec.
Turns out the circuit already had an undervoltage issue. It was fluctuating between 50-90 volts. Never noticed anything because it's usually just LED lights on the circuit. Nothing to do with the switch or how it was wired.
So make sure the switch is actually getting 120v.
11-30-2019, 02:30 PM
jsnola

Issue

The instructions if followed exactly are to replace the switch that connects to the load and use the remote where the power is supplied (hot) the issues describe sound as though the switch is being installed at the power (hot) side of the threeway rather than the load (light fixture) side
06-21-2020, 10:06 PM
drisok

I had the same issue where the switch in a 3-way configuration wouldn't light-up. The lights would stay about have brightness but the switch wouldn't function. I did a reset to make sure the switch had power as instructed above in this thread (tap "ON" three times, holding for five seconds on the third tap, then tap three more times once the lights are flashing). Power to switch confirmed.The switch is wired into the box where the hot lead is, not the load (light). Travelers are tied together and wired to the switch. After a lot of troubleshooting, turned out to be much more basic. The light bulbs I was using weren't dimmable. For whatever reason this was enough to keep the switch for powering-up. Replaced with dimmable LED bulbs and problem solved.
01-03-2022, 10:15 AM
CT-Scott

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsnola

The instructions if followed exactly are to replace the switch that connects to the load and use the remote where the power is supplied (hot) the issues describe sound as though the switch is being installed at the power (hot) side of the threeway rather than the load (light fixture) side

I believe you are correct. I just ran into this issue myself yesterday. FWIW, at the base of my stairs was a "dumb" dimmer with dedicated on/off switch, and at the top of my stairs (closest to the light fixture) was a simple "dumb" on/off switch.

I followed the Lutron video but installed the new Caseta dimmer first (the video has you installing the Pico remote first). For no particular reason, I opted to install the Caseta dimmer at the base of my stairs. After installing *just* the dimmer, I turned the power back on and the dimmer was working as it should. FWIW, turning the old on/off switch at the top of my stairs caused the light to turn off but then quickly back on again (regardless of position of the switch).

I then shut off power again and installed the Pico switch, capping the ground by itself, but capping all three other wires (including a common wire) together. FWIW, I believe there were also neutral wires in the back of the box, already capped off.

Then, when turning power back on again, the Caseta dimmer was non-functional, and it's little LED light was not on, suggesting that it was no longer getting power (or not getting it the way it wanted). After shutting off power and doing some Googling and finding this thread, I tried a couple of the other suggested fixes (e.g., capping the common wire independent of the other two wires in the Pico box), but to no avail. Prior to Googling, I did wonder myself whether it mattered which box had the Pico remote and which had the Caseta dimmer. So after the suggested fixes didn't work, I gave that a shot, installing the Pico remote at the base of my stairs, and the Caseta dimmer at the top of the stairs. Everything worked as it should, including with all three wires in the Pico box capped off together.

As an aside, as a DIY electrician I highly recommend the Klein circuit breaker finder and accessory kit (which comes with a light socket adapter and banana clips). The main breaker panel and two subpanels in our new-to-us house was labeled poorly, inaccurately, and in some cases, not at all. I also recommend getting a decent multimeter and learning the basics of testing for specific wire types. I've never been particularly handy, but as a tech guy, *basic* electrical work (replacing outlets, switches, and light fixtures) has been one of the things I feel semi-competent to try myself. I'd still like to learn more about (and memorize) the different terminologies (hot, line, load, common, neutral) and be able to do more of this stuff myself.