DVRF-5NS strobes the fixture

[irrogical]

Hi,

I have a DVR5-NS which I was planning to pair with a Pico remote. However, I can not get it to work with or without the switch on the "B side". This is existing wiring and fixture. It is wired like this

Line (Black) ----\ /--------- (Red) ------------\
| ||
V VV
A Side Switch B Side Switch
^ ^ ^
| | |
\--------- (White) ----------/ |
|
Neutral (White) <-- (Black) -- Fixture with 3 LED Bulbs -----/

The "B Side Switch" is a dimmer. With the current wiring the dimmer dims the bulbs and everything works as expected. I wanted to replace the "B Side" with a Pico dimmer, and the "A Side" with a DVRF-5NS. However, I get a 1 Hz pulse.

I tried wiring the DVRF-5NS' black to the line, tied white into the netural, and wired red to the red traveler. I tied the red traveler and the black together at the "B side". I can not turn the light on or off, it just pulses. I also tried with a regular switch on the "B Side", with the same pulsing result.

Line (Black) ----\ /---- (Red) --------------\
| ||
V V |
(Black) ---DVRF-5NS--- (Red) Wire Nut B Side
| | |
(White) -----/ \---- (Blue) -- Open |
^ |
| Open ---- (White) ------ Open |
| |
Neutral (White)-+-- (Black) -- Fixture with 3 LED Bulbs -------/

Since I have 1 to try, I replaced the DVRF-5NS with a PD-5ANS (only with the "B Side" Red and Black tied together), but that behaves the same way.

Am I doing something wrong here? is this a valid setup?

Thanks for your help
Roger

[irrogical]

Hmm. The forum post mechanism ate the spaces in my ASCII art. I will share a drawing....

[irrogical]

Here is how I wired the DVRF-5NS

[Kenneth P.]

Hello,

The DVRF-5NS and PD-6ANS will work in a 3-way with a mechanical switch, but it does not use the standard 3-way wiring setup. Linked here is the wiring diagram for both Caseta Smart Switches (original style PD-6ANS and smart Claro DVRF-5NS): https://assets.lutron.com/a/document...93_page_34.pdf

[irrogical]

Hello,

The DVRF-5NS and PD-6ANS will work in a 3-way with a mechanical switch, but it does not use the standard 3-way wiring setup. Linked here is the wiring diagram for both Caseta Smart Switches (original style PD-6ANS and smart Claro DVRF-5NS): https://assets.lutron.com/a/document...93_page_34.pdf

Thank you for giving a link to the proper wiring diagram. I was able to try it last night. Unfortunately wiring according to that diagram also produces a strobing light. I have wiring which is like this



and I made it like the following




I tried the "Kitchen" side (The B Side in the linked diagram) on its original/ working dimmer as well as the plain on/ off mechanical switch from the A Side (Family room) with the same result.

Is there a different switch I can try? (I was originally going to put a Pico remote on the B side.)

Thanks
Roger

[Kenneth P.]

Hey Roger,

Are the 3 wires on the switch at the Kitchen side coming out of the same Romex? From the labeling in the diagrams you sent it looks like the Kitchen side is a dead-end 3-way. If you bypass the second switch location, can you install the DVRF-5NS in the Family Room location as a single-pole to see if the issue persists? Also, the strobing from the lights could indicate that the switch is not properly connected to the neutral.

[irrogical]

Hey Roger,

Are the 3 wires on the switch at the Kitchen side coming out of the same Romex?

Yes, all 3 are the same Romex.

can you install the DVRF-5NS in the Family Room location as a single-pole to see if the issue persists?

It is different. Instead of continually strobing the fixture, now it is a single pulse when I release the "on side" of the switch.

(I tied 2 ends of the kittchen ends of the Romex together, and wired like this . Using a jumper wire without any switch the fixture works like I would expect.)

[Kenneth P.]

Hey Roger,

Since the installation works as a single-pole without the second switch, that at least verifies that the switch itself is not faulty. This diagram here may be helpful; this is reference for the MACL-153M dimmer in a dead-end 3-way circuit, but the wiring is similar for the DVRF-5NS (with the added connection at the master location on the left for the switch to tie in to the neutral bundle):