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    airpatel's Avatar
    airpatel Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Oct 6, 2007, 11:05 AM
    Wiring a Wall Switch Questions
    OK here goes...

    I got a automatic light switch (sensor) to replace a switch in my toddler's room.

    Currently there is a wall plate with two switches. (Prewired for a fan). One switch is for the fan and one is for a receptacle.

    In the wall (after I removed the wall plate) I noticed three sets of wires coming in. One is Black,White & Red, the others have black & white (and of course ground). On the left switch (which is for the receptacle) there is a red going in on the top . And the bottom hole has 3 black wires going in (two from the wall and one going from this switch to the other switch on the right). The switch on the right has the one black wire coming in from the other switch and the one coming in from the wall). There is only one hot black wire (goes in to the bottom of the left switch).

    Now comes the hard part... the automatic switch (leviton PR180 single pole and 3 way switch) has four wires (black,yellow,red and green). They tell me to connect yellow to white, red to cap off, green to ground, and hot black to black. My questions are: Did I buy the wrong switch? IF so which one should I buy (for motion activated light)? If the switch is the right one and given the wires in my wall, what are the proper connections?

    All help will be fully appreciated.

    Jay
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #2

    Oct 6, 2007, 12:24 PM
    I think I would tie red and black together on pr180, yellow is power out and goes to light hot wire, neutral does not appear to be needed.
    I would go here:
    PR180-1LI > Wall Switch > Occupancy Sensors > Energy Management > Lighting Controls (Box Mounted) > Product Catalog from Leviton Electrical and Electronic Products
    Then click on instructions or wiring diagram.
    The blacks at switch location and attached to bottom of each switch should be the hot and would connect to red AND black on PR180, then connect the yellow going to the recepticle( the other wire on that switch.
    Basically you will remove 2 wires from switch and connect to new switch.
    airpatel's Avatar
    airpatel Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #3

    Oct 7, 2007, 03:07 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Stratmando
    I think I would tie red and black together on pr180, yellow is power out and goes to light hot wire, neutral does not appear to be needed.
    I would go here:
    PR180-1LI > Wall Switch > Occupancy Sensors > Energy Management > Lighting Controls (Box Mounted) > Product Catalog from Leviton Electrical and Electronic Products
    Then click on instructions or wiring diagram.
    The blacks at switch location and attached to bottom of each switch should be the hot and would connect to red AND black on PR180, then connect the yellow going to the recepticle( the other wire on that switch.
    Basicaly you will remove 2 wires from switch and connect to new switch.

    Doesn't seem to work. I connected the 2 black wires from the wall together into the PR180 black & red. And connected the yellow to the second switch (which I think is correct). What do I do with the red wire coming from the wall?

    J
    donf's Avatar
    donf Posts: 5,679, Reputation: 582
    Printers & Electronics Expert
     
    #4

    Oct 7, 2007, 04:21 PM
    Normally, 12/3 cable is used to control a light from two switches. So for the present I would just cap off the red. Of course you are disabling the feed to the second switch so it will no longer work.
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
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    #5

    Oct 7, 2007, 05:04 PM
    You may have bought a more expensive switch than you need, but it still should work if you connect the right 2 wires. The instructions with the switch are for a double throw switch used in a 3 way application. It sounds like you only have one 2 way switch. It sounds like you have a feed wire pair coming into the box, a feed wire out to something else, and the red/black/white going out to the light and fan. I think connect all the blacks together except the one on the top of the fan switch. Cap the yellow, and connect the red to red. It should now work. If it works backwards, is on and goes off with movement, reverse the red and yellow. If the wires on the switch are marked com, ncc, and noc, com to black, and noc to red.

    Not all 3 conductor cables are used for 3 way switches.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #6

    Oct 8, 2007, 06:24 AM
    In the instructions on the link, that shows yellow to light. Earlier they told you to wire yellow to neutral. If that was done. May have been destroyed switch, switching a hot to neutral?
    The link shows what I described.

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