Hot at the aux and dimmer bypass questions

Switches Wiring Discussion
, ,
#1

I have a 3 way circuit where I’ve got a neutral in the box with the inovelli switch, but not the box with the aux switch. Currently I’ve just wired it up as a non-neutral setup. I know I could rewire to get the neutral to that box, but I don’t think I’ll bother since the current non-neutral setup works fine. My question is: Is there any reason I can’t use the neutral at the box with the inovelli switch, and just use the hot wire I have in the aux switch box to power the aux switch instead of a neutral? That way I don’t need the bypass.

Also, on the subject of the dimmer bypass. Can anyone explain to me exactly how they work? I know the inovelli dimmer requires a 25w load to function correctly. If I’m using a dimmer bypass is that inovelli switch drawing a constant 25w of power?

Thanks for any insight :slight_smile:

#2

Can you draw out what you have, as that doesn’t make sense? If you have a neutral in the Inovelli box (and presumably a hot since the Inovelli has to be powered), why would you wire it as a non-neutral?

The configuration of the Inovelli dictates how the Aux is powered. Sometimes it’s the neutral and sometimes it’s the hot. It sounds like you should be sending the hot from the Inovelli to the Aux via one of the conductors on the 3-wire.

This is different from the last switch leg with the j-box, right?

#3

Yes, this is a different light. I’m slowly working my way through all the lights in the house :slight_smile:

So without going through all the trouble of drawing it out - the situation is this:

This light is on a switch loop, wired much like the last one.
Box A is a single gang that has the power coming in. I’ve used one of the travellers to send power to box B. Box B is a 2 gang where I have the inovelli switch. The neutral comes into the box for the other switch, so I could borrow it (it’s on the same circuit).

But if I DID wire it up what way, I have no neutral in box A where the Aux switch is.

If you really need a drawing I suppose I could get something together for part of it, but TBH I have no clue yet what’s going on with the “other” switch in Box B that the neutral comes in at. That setup over there is a 4 way with two fixtures that I plan to separate out into 2 single pole switches, but I’m not ready to tackle that one yet. It’ll probably be the last switch in the house I do because the wiring in the attic is a rats nest of romex that isn’t stapled anywhere, etc, etc. So I’ve got some diagnosing and cleanup to do :slight_smile:

#4

I guess root of the other part of my question is is there any advantage to using the neutral instead of non-neutral with the dimmer bypass? If not I’ll just leave well enough alone.

I’d like to understand exactly how those bypasses work. I’ve searched around the web a bit but I haven’t found much in the way of an explanation.

#5

Are you saying at Box A where the aux switch is you have a 2-wire coming from the light? Typically this would be sent with the white being hot and the black being the switched load going back to the light.

#6

Sorry, no. It’s a 14/3 conductor into box A and B. Power comes into box A on the black, and I’ve connected the white to black to send power to box B (the 2 gang) for the inovelli switch.