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Thread: 4 Way Switch Help

  1. #1
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    4 Way Switch Help

    I have 3 switches that control a string of ceiling lights. There are two dimmer switches and one non-dimmer switch. I recently replaced my switches as follows:

    • MACL-153M
    • CA-4PS Diva 15 A 4 Way Switch
    • MA-R-WH



    I'm having two issues. The first issue is that the 4 way switch is acting as a power (on/off) switch. If I don't have the 4 way switch on, the dimmers will not turn the lights on. The second issue is that there is a long delay (about 3 seconds) from the 4 way switch when I turn the LED lights (BR30) on.

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping that fixing the first issue fixes the second issue. Looking through Lutron's compatibility list, there aren't a lot of readily available BR30 LED bulbs that have been confirmed as compatible.

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  3. #2
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    You can't have a mechanical 4-way switch there. You need another Companion/Accessory/Remote (never figured out why Lutron had 3 names for the same thing depending on the product) switch.

    Of course, the 4-way will have 4 wires in it and you only have 3 connections (not counting the ground) on the companion dimmer but you need to look at the wiring diagram - the blue one will get two wires. Just remember that the blue screw has to connect to every other blue screw and the rest work themselves out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SparkyCoog View Post
    You can't have a mechanical 4-way switch there. You need another Companion/Accessory/Remote (never figured out why Lutron had 3 names for the same thing depending on the product) switch.

    Of course, the 4-way will have 4 wires in it and you only have 3 connections (not counting the ground) on the companion dimmer but you need to look at the wiring diagram - the blue one will get two wires. Just remember that the blue screw has to connect to every other blue screw and the rest work themselves out.
    Thanks, I'll give that a try. What's the purpose of a 4-way switch if it doesn't apply to this application (3 switches for one set of lights)?

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  7. #4
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    Mechanical 4-way is for mechanical 3-ways on each end...one of those three ways can be a mechanical dimmer but not both :)

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  9. #5
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    So, instead of the CA-4PS Diva 15 A 4 way switch, I should install another MA-R (Companion) switch?

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  11. #6
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    Yes, but follow the wiring diagram carefully...it's a but different.

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  13. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by SparkyCoog View Post
    Yes, but follow the wiring diagram carefully...it's a but different.
    Thanks! I'll give it a try.

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  15. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by bleumax View Post
    So, instead of the CA-4PS Diva 15 A 4 way switch, I should install another MA-R (Companion) switch?

    Sorry to bump an old thread but how did you make out with this?

    I am having a similar issue as well. I have 3 switches that turn on the recessed lighting in my kitchen. I have the following switches:

    Lutron CA-4PS-WH Diva 15 A 4-Way Switch
    Lutron CA-3PS-WH Diva 15-Amp 3-Way Switch
    Lutron MACL-153M-WH Maestro

    If I turn off the lights from the dimmer itself and then try to turn the lights back on by one of the other switches, they don't turn on. But if I turn off the lights from a switch other than the dimmer, any of the 3 switches will turn the lights back on first click. With either of these scenarios, I have a 2 second delay or so.

    Do I need to swap out my 4 way with a different one as well? Or am I just wiring something wrong?

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  17. #9
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    Some smart dimmers work with a mechanical switch in a 3way (maestro dimmers don't", but no one of them work with a 4-way.

    So yes, you need to match all your remote dimmers with the main dimmer. I've installed hundreds if not thousands of maestro dimmers so far and in one case had 6 dimmer locations! Just keep the blue screw on the same wire and go brass to black on the other ones (or was it the other way around...)

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  19. #10
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    Thanks for the quick reply!

    So I'm not following 100%. So are you saying the Maestro dimmer I have won't work with the other 2 mechanical switches?

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