40
Votes

4 way switch

 
40
Votes

4 way switch

151 Reply
Re:4 way switch
2022-07-06 20:26:21

  @septer012 

 

I was able to "smartify" my 5 way switch by simply replacing the "line" end of the circuit with a Kasa 3 way and that was it. The "other end" of the circuit didn't have a neutral wire in the box, so I had to leave the dumb 3 way switch on that end and the dumb 4 ways in the middle.  The lights come on and off with any switch.  And I can tell Alexa to turn the lights on and/or off.   I don't know if I can make it work with a 3 way dimmer, but I didn't need to dim these lights anyway.   It was a very simple and elegant solution.  However, it does mean that there are still "old style" switches mixed with smart switches which may bother some folks.  Just not me.  

 

In fact, if you aren't setting up a 3 way dimmer (which I have in several other locations), you don't need to swap out both switches.  You can leave one "dumb" and the smart switch will control the light from a wifi perspective.  Or you can simply flip the switch on either end to "manually" turn the light on/off.   This can save money by using only half the number of smart switches than you think you might need.  

 

 

#83
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Re:4 way switch
2022-06-16 02:44:17

  @rv75  Finally figured out my wiring issue.  I had correctly labeled the common wire but the HS210 initially didn't work well.  I guess it was because of the fact that I needed 2.  I swtich the wiring around and it made it partially work.  Dissecting the diagram is what really helped me.  The 2 wire cable was the common and I had moved it.  Now I have the travellers coming from the 3 wire cable and all seems to be good

#82
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Re:4 way switch
2022-06-15 16:20:30 - last edited 2022-06-15 16:22:53

  @PatchyFog Sorry to bug you again... I rewired my initial HS210 (hot black wire on common and red/black wires on traveller.)  I'm still having an issue.  Could the switch be defective?  When I use my second HS210 and the 4 way switch, everything works perfectly.  The minute I try to use the first HS210 to shut off/on the light after using any of the other switches, the lights go off and don't come back unless I start playing around with the other 2 switches and the app.  Something is not working right and I can't figure it out.

 

Just thought of something.. The only difference with the first HS210 I installed is that the "dumb" switch was not using the white neutral wires.  The HS210 needed them so I am using neutral now on that location.  Nothing else is different.

#81
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Re:4 way switch
2022-06-15 02:28:17

  @PatchyFog 

thanks again!  I might've screwed the wiring up because the first time I connect the HS210 nothing was working. 
Am I supposed to have only one hot wire on common and the other 2 on travel? Besides the obvious neutral and ground?

#80
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Re:4 way switch
2022-06-15 02:13:48

  @rv75 Yes, it almost certainly sounds like something is wired wrong. If I had to guess, I'd say that one of the travelers has been swapped with the load wire in the load-side box. (You'd have to beep it out with a multimeter to be completely sure.) This assumes all was working before the HS-210s were installed.

 

Despite what people say, 2 HS-210s are never "required" -- in fact, the 2nd one doesn't really add much to the system beyond an aesthetic similarity.

#79
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Re:4 way switch
2022-06-15 01:19:52
Thank you! Could I have something wired wrong? I first installed one HS210 on lights controlled by 3 switches yesterday. I found this thread in which people say that for this configuration, two HS210 are needed. I just installed a second HS210 without touching the 4 way switch in the middle. I'm having a problem where the switch that turns the light on needs to be the same one that turn it off. If I turn on on one switch and turn off on the other, I lose the ability to turn the light back on. Could I have something wired wrong?
#78
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Re:4 way switch
2022-06-15 00:30:31

  @rv75 4-Way switches don't have an on or off. They have a "this" or "that." They also have a long break-to-make time that can kill power to any Kasa downstream. Check out my video. The animation at the start may be of help. https://youtu.be/kMT7KUVTELo

#77
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Re:4 way switch
2022-06-14 23:54:40

  @septer012  Does the 4 way switch need to stay untouched?  I'm having trouble once I move the 4 way switch to on/off

#76
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Re:4 way switch
2022-04-26 05:23:38

  @RichG5 Is it dimmable smart switch, the one you replaced? 

#75
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Re:4 way switch
2022-04-26 05:20:05

  @xRkYqUz Have you got answer of your previous question? 

#74
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