One of the things I love about this hobby...

[sdesbles]

I just finished what should have been a small project, replacing a standard light switch with a "smart switch" (z-wave in my case). It is always the 20 minute tasks that take two hours.

In this case, the switch was to replace the master switch in a 4-way switch system for a hallway light. Should be simple enough. But one of the things I love about this HA hobby is discovering unique things about your house. I am not sure who originally wired my home, but I am pretty sure this 4-way circuit is messed up. It certainly does not work with the Z-wave switch, and I am sure it is shorting someplace for it to work at all. Near as I could tell, hots and neutrals are swapped someplace along the path. So after pondering the wiring on all three switches and trying a few different connections (even broke out the volt meter), I gave up for now and moved on. I will need to drop the light fixtures down at some point but did not want to extend my 20 minute task any longer.

So, I installed the switch on a simple single switch circuit for my son's bedroom. And 20 minutes later, it works great.

I felt I needed to share this as I am sure many of you can relate.

Scott

[RAM]

Most, if not all, HA switches require a 'companion' switch for use in 3 or 4 way situations. You can't just replace a 3 or 4 way switch with a HA type switch. At this point you probably did the smart thing and used it in a simple situation, where you found it worked fine and was a 20 min. installation.

[sdesbles]

In this case, the switch is an Intermatic HA14WD, which uses standard 3-way or 4-way switches, no need for special companion switches.

[Wadenut]

I am not sure who originally wired my home, but I am pretty sure this 4-way circuit is messed up.

I think the same guy wired my place... all blacks and whites.
I ended up using an ohmeter (power off) to figure out the wiring for a two-way switch here and drew it on paper before getting an HA18 to work properly.

[sdanks]

I feel your pain, I feel your pain. . . .

and it doesnt help that we are both named Scott, which, if you look up Murphy's laws and search for Scott's law;

Scotts First Law:
No matter what goes wrong, it will probably look right.

Scotts Second Law:
When an error has been detected and corrected, it will be found to have been
correct in the first place.

This descibes me perfectly.

[Gerard]

In this case, the switch is an Intermatic HA14WD, which uses standard 3-way or 4-way switches, no need for special companion switches.

Scott
very interesting did not know there were switches that worked with standard 3 way switches and more 4,5,6 in there wiring diagram. How does the light act when you flip one of the normal 3-way switches? I asume it turn off if on. If off does it goto last dim or full on?

[sdesbles]

Unfortunately, I was not able to get the Intermatic switch installed due to the wiring issue I was having. But I am hopeful toggling one of the remote switches would behave the same as if toggling the main switch.

Has anyone installed one of these switches in a 3-way or 4-way circuit that can comment on this?

[sacarino]

Unfortunately, I was not able to get the Intermatic switch installed due to the wiring issue I was having. But I am hopeful toggling one of the remote switches would behave the same as if toggling the main switch.

Has anyone installed one of these switches in a 3-way or 4-way circuit that can comment on this?

I haven't wired a HA14 up this way, but I have two 3-way circuits and one 4-way circuit set up with HA18s... when you flip the $.99 mechanical "companion" switch, the HA18 acts just like you had toggled it locally. Worked surprisingly well.

Based on my experiences with Intermatic, I would assume that a previously dimmed light would resume that previous dim setting when remotely toggled in a multi-way setup.