4 Way with Source & Light in the middle....Need Help

Switches Wiring Discussion
#1

I have been struggling with this for some time. This was the very first location I wanted to install a LZW31-SN Dimmer, but I couldn’t figure it out and installed them elsewhere. I have finally figured out the existing wiring layout. This is a diagram of my existing wiring.

4way with source and light in the middle
4way with source and light in the middle1122×998 118 KB

I was hoping to install a LZW31-SN into switch 1 with no neutral and install aux/add-on switches into switch 2 and 3, but I can not figure out how to wire an Inovelli dimmer into switch 1, or if it is even possible. I was under the impression that I needed the line & the load in the same box.
Anybody out there have a solution for me?

#2

Off the top of my head without drawing it out . . .

In the light box, send the hot to SW1 via the white. (It’s on the black now and that’s fine, but the standard convention is to send the hot in a non-neutral via the white.) That goes the Line on the Inovelli. The Load on the Inovelli goes back to teh light box via the white. In the light box, rewire that white to connect to that black going to the lights.

So far, you have a 2-way non-neutral. I’d set the parameters and test to make sure the 2-way is working.

So now you just need to add in the Aux switches. They need two conductors, a hot and a traveler from the Inovelli. In the switch box, connect the black from the 3-wire going to SW2 to the Black. At SW2, piggyback the black to get power to SW3 via the black. That should get the power to the Aux’s.

Go back to SW1 and connect the red from the 3-wire to the Traveler on the Inovelli. The red is already connected in the light box going to SW2. In SW2, piggyback a red to SW3.

Cap off the whites in SW2 and SW3.

Reset the parameters.

We can kick this around if need be. Since you were able to diagram that out I’m hoping a quick explanation will get you started.

#3

Thanks for the quick reply Bry!
I understand your 2-way non neutral wire instructions and will test that out first. I am not 100% sure if I understand the wiring setup for the Aux switches. I have redrawn the wire diagram for what I think you are saying. Can you please look it over and let me know if that’s correct.

New 4 way
New 4 way1122×998 178 KB

#4

I think you have it. I’d still try the 2-way first just to get it going and then add in the Aux’s.

The theory is pretty simple. Looking at this as an example:

image
image1268×789 177 KB

After you have the 2-way, adding on the Aux(s) requires the following:

  • A hot to the neutral terminal (In an Inovelli non-neutral config); and
  • A traveler from the Inovelli terminal to the Traveler(s) on the Aux(s)

You’re sending the hot from the light box and the traveler is daisy-chained just like you have it.

Simple! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

2 Likes
#5

Thanks for your help. I can hopefully test things out this weekend. I still need to order the Aux switches and a bypass.