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🖥️ActiveHome Pro => ActiveHome Pro General => Help & Troubleshooting => Topic started by: seifrij on October 05, 2011, 06:40:18 PM

Title: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: seifrij on October 05, 2011, 06:40:18 PM
I just installed a PLW02 three way master and slave switch, carefully following the instructions.   The slave switch is in the box where the hot lead is.  The master is in the box where the load is.   The travelers between the two boxes are properly connected as per the wiring diagrams.

I can depress the switch and get the dimmer to work (both up and down) but I cannot get the light to stay on after I release the button.  This is true on both the slave and the master.

Do I just have a bad switch, or am I not doing something right?   This is my very first X10 product, so I certainly may be overlooking something.   Any help greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: dave w on October 05, 2011, 08:23:44 PM
The PLW02 will work ONLY with incandescent bulbs. No CFLs. No LEDs.

What happens when you try turning it on with a remote?

Try reversing the travelers. Aside from that, best guess is bad switch.
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: seifrij on October 05, 2011, 08:45:26 PM
Only incandescent lights are in the load.   I tried several wire combos.  I tried reversing the two blue wires on the slave (even though the instructions say use either one).  Also tried reversing the travelers.   No luck.

Also, even though the controller reports success with both the ON and OFF operation, there is no noticeable activity in the lights.   

Thanks for the reply.  Maybe someone else will have an insight, but I'm leaning toward bad switch, which of course I bought online -- so a hassle to return/ replace.
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: Noam on October 05, 2011, 09:23:05 PM
Try cutting power to the switch for a moment, which should reset any stored dim levels.
Then, try a momentary press, and see if the light comes on.
Have you tried sending commands from a controller, and see if it reacts at all?
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: seifrij on October 05, 2011, 10:03:00 PM
Thanks for all the advice. 

I took both the master and slave out of the circuit and replaced the original 3 ways switches.    Then, just for fun, I rigged up a test scenario using just a lamp.  I cut the lamp cord, installed the switches into the lamp cord with connections appropriate, and plugged the lamp into a wall socket.   VOILA!   Everything worked as it should, including dim/bright, on/off, and it responded to the controller.

So.....  although I thought I checked and rechecked, I guess I must have had something miswired in the original circuit.  Tomorrow when it is daylight again, I'll try it once more in the permanent connections.
 
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: Brian H on October 06, 2011, 05:53:32 AM
Did you cut the power to the PLW02 for a short time to reset it?
Maybe it was set to a low resume dim and your removing them just rest them.
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: Noam on October 06, 2011, 09:18:02 AM
Did you cut the power to the PLW02 for a short time to reset it?
Maybe it was set to a low resume dim and your removing them just rest them.
That's where I was headed with my suggestion to reset the switch.
Let's see what the OP says.
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: Brian H on October 06, 2011, 11:02:43 AM
Yes I got the impression they didn't toggle the small switch on the bottom edge to try a reset.
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: melede on October 08, 2011, 01:57:26 PM
I had the same issue. The master switch needs to be on the power side. The slave module goes on the load side. It seems odd that they use the blue lead for the line power instead of black which matches the electrical code.
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: Noam on October 08, 2011, 09:11:57 PM
I had the same issue. The master switch needs to be on the power side. The slave module goes on the load side. It seems odd that they use the blue lead for the line power instead of black which matches the electrical code.
According to the instructions here: http://www.x10pro.com/pro/pdf/plw02.pdf , the SLAVE switch goes on the LINE side, and the MASTER switch goes on the LOAD side.
It wouldn't surprise me, however, if the instructions were wrong.
Title: Re: PLW02 (three way switch) won't stay on
Post by: Knightrider on October 09, 2011, 07:21:50 AM
I have the masters on the line side, and the slave on the load side with my WS4777's.