Aux switch not working in a 3-way setup

Switches Wiring Discussion
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1

I have a Red series dimmer (VZW31-SN) in a 3-way configuration (w/ neutral) with the Inovelli Aux switch. The VZW31-SN works (light can be turned on/off), but the aux doesn’t seem to do anything.

I used the following wiring schematic (found in the wiring guide):

Here is what the smart switch looks like:

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Here’s what the smart aux looks like:

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I believe this matches with the wiring schematic, please let me know if I’m mistaken!

I have configured the VZW31-SN in Hubitat to use a Smart Aux Switch.

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I also tried to program it manually, but not sure if it’s working correctly. The wiring guide I linked says the switch should blink pink to confirm, but it blinks white after I do the pattern (hold up and tap config 5x). Once it blinked red (I’m pretty sure, not pink), but I assume that’s probably me doing an invalid input.

Lastly, here's how the old dumb switches were wired, in case that's useful (click the arrow to expand).

This is where the smart switch is now installed:

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This is where the smart aux is now installed:

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2

The wiring looks correct. Did you do a Configure All, Refresh All in Hubitat?

3

I did just now and no change in behavior. I didn’t think this was necessary. Anytime I make a change in Hubitat and just click save preferences, the switch seems to reflect the change. For example, I changed the smart switch to Smart Bulb Mode and that change went through just fine after hitting Save Preferences.

4

Is there anyway for me to test if the aux switch is defective?

Or maybe did I choose the wrong wiring schematic for what my old switch configuration was?

Please let me know! :slight_smile:

5

I don’t know how to test an Aux other than by replacing it.

This is a line and load in separate boxes. Did you test to ensure you were certain which box was which?

6

I didn’t test, I assumed because there was an extra romex coming into the 1-gang box it was the line side. Maybe that’s my mistake?

How can I test that? I believe, I would need to turn off power, unscrew all the bare wires, turn on power and test to see which one is actually live with a NCVT or multimeter? Is there anyway to do it without having to unscrew all the bare wire again? :sweat_smile:

7

I am not sure what you mean by an extra Romex. I see a two-wire and a three-wire in each box. More than likely, that means it is a line in one box, load in the other. If you do not test to determine which two-wire is the line and which two-wire is the load, it is impossible to follow the wiring diagram.

Making assumptions with electricity can be a dangerous practice. If you are not comfortable or knowledgeable with electrical wiring, I suggest that you consult with a licensed electrician.

8

There are two 2-wires in the 1-gang box. I annotated it on this picture:

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But yeah, fair play. I’ll disconnect all the black wires and measure them to see which one is actually live. Looking at the diagram, if my original assumption was incorrect, I just need to flip the line and load wires on my smart switch.

9

Okay, I unwired all the black wires and tested to see which was was actually hot and it my original assumption was correct (thankfully). So this means I do have it wired up correctly, so I’m guessing the aux switch must be dead. The sticker on the front of it says 2310, so it must be from an older batch (Oct 2023, I assume).

I’m guessing my only solution here would be to contact support to get an exchange processed?

10

If you have another aux I would try that first but otherwise you’ll have to submit a support request.

1 Like
11

The $8 return shipping fee made me want to test some more locally, so I bought a dumb 3-way switch and found some even weirder behavior. :dizzy_face: Made a new thread to troubleshoot this new problem.