# Question on upgrading 3-way switch to dimmer



## v-six (Sep 12, 2004)

My living room has a 3-way light switch, and we almost never use one of the two switches (it's by a door that we don't use). I'm going to replace the normal switches with a Lutron Caseta dimmer. (Caseta® Wireless – Overview)

According to Lutron's general information, I'd need to cap off the un-used switch and mount the included wireless remote in its place. I'd rather keep the unused side as a normal switch, install the dimmer in the switch we use, and keep the remote as a remote.

Is this a bad idea? I can think of two reasons why Lutron would say I have to use the remote as the other switch.
1: It's the only way to have dimmer control at both ends. (I don't care about this part).
2: having the dimmer and the normal switch in the 3-way might harm the dimmer if the switch is used (or maybe would make the system flaky if its power is being cut by the other switch every now and then?)

Please let me know what you think.


----------



## Fjandr (Sep 26, 2012)

The problem is that the dimmer won't have a second terminal for the additional 3-way traveler wire. It wouldn't harm the dimmer switch, it just isn't built to connect to it in a way that allows it to actually work. You could replace the 3-way with a 2-way, but then you would have to use that switch exclusively to turn power to the dimmer on and off. You wouldn't be able to use it or the remote without first manually flipping the standard switch on.


----------



## v-six (Sep 12, 2004)

So it sounds like as long as the non-dimmer switch is always set to on, the dimmer doesn't care, and flipping the switch off shouldn't harm the dimmer?


----------



## Fjandr (Sep 26, 2012)

That should be the case, unless the dimmer specifically states not to remove power from it while it's installed.


----------



## v-six (Sep 12, 2004)

Thanks for the assurance. I'll try it out and report back if it kills the cat or something.


----------



## pcride (Jan 29, 2016)

If it's wired as a 3 way I would leave it. You can only put a dimmer on one switch that controls the light. If you cap off the other switch, you'll need to figure out which side has the power. At that point I would get an electrician


----------

