I just installed a 1000W 3-way dimmer switch to control 13 - 50W bulbs in small recessed cans in a kitchen. I am not sure what is all on this circuit, but the breaker is 20 amps, so you would think it would be fine. Anyway, after installing and turning the light switch on, the switch itself gets very hot when it is on full power, and cools somewhat when I dim it down. The light switch before this one did not get hot, does this have to do with the fact that it is a 3-way or a dimmer? And if so, what are my options?

In my experience, dimmer switches do get fairly warm--but when dimmed, not when full-on.
You are pulling 650 watts for your bulbs, so a 1000 watt dimmer sounds just right. And that is just over 5 amps, so your circuit should not be overloaded either.

I would carefully inspect the wiring of the switch (but there's not much to get wrong), see if there is ANYTHING else on that circuit (like an outlet), and possibly try another switch just in case you got a bad one.

Did you originally have a dimmer, or just a standard on/off 3-way switch?

Maybe someone else has more useful information.

WallyH

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Originally Posted by aqriggs

I just installed a 1000W 3-way dimmer switch to control 13 - 50W bulbs in small recessed cans in a kitchen. I am not sure what is all on this circuit, but the breaker is 20 amps, so you would think it would be fine. Anyway, after installing and turning the light switch on, the switch itself gets very hot when it is on full power, and cools somewhat when I dim it down. The light switch before this one did not get hot, does this have to do with the fact that it is a 3-way or a dimmer?? And if so, what are my options?

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The original switch was a regular 3-way, even if the breaker was getting overloade,which I don't think it is, shouldn't the breaker pop? Maybe the breaker is bad as well..

The breaker wouldn't necessarily pop. How many amps is the circuit that your light is on? What else is on that circuit?

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Originally Posted by aqriggs

The original switch was a regular 3-way, even if the breaker was getting overloade,which I don't think it is, shouldn't the breaker pop? Maybe the breaker is bad as well..?

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You are correct. It appears the circuit isn't overloaded, and I would not expect a bad breaker to have this effect anyhow. What I was getting at is that your 1000 watt dimmer can take just under 9 amps worth of load, and your 13 lights are taking only 5 amps or so. So everything should be okay. However, a very hot dimmer means something is not quite right. I'm also still mystified why it is hot at full-on and not while dimming. The dimmers I've seen will actually have a switch at full-on, so the electronics are all bypassed entirely.

Good luck figuring this one out!
WallyH