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[Movieboy]

Looking for some help here. I am no electrician and I need a little help installing an X10 XDP13 3 way dimmer. When I pull out the original switch it has 3 wires: Red, Black and White. The XDP13 had 4 wires: Red, Black, White and Blue. Since I have the one extra wire I'm stumped. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Brian H]

Sounds like you have a switch loop and may have no Neutral [needed] in that electrical box.
Can you see what wiring  is in the other box for the three way setup?

[Movieboy]

The other box is the exact same setup. 3 wires: Red, Black and White.

[Movieboy]

Okay, after a lot more reading I think I need to pull a neutral from the fixture box to the switch box. Is this as simple as tapping into the neutral feeding the fixture and fishing that into the switch box and connecting it to the neutral on my X10 switch with a nut?

[Brian H]

We have some Electricians by trade here. I am sure they will give you a correct answer.

You are going to use the Companion Switch for the second switch location?

[Movieboy]

Thanks Brian. Yes I will be using the X-10 PRO XPSS-IW Decorator Slave Companion Switch WS14A.

[Brian H]

I have a feeling that one of the switches common terminal is the Line switched between the two travelers. The other switches common then would be the Load switched between the same two travelers.

[Movieboy]

If it helps I thinking this diagram shows how my hallway lights are setup.  http://www.homeimprovementweb.com/information/how-to/three-way-switch-option6.htm

Thanks.

[evadorev]

if it`s really wired as your example, you need an extra wire from the lights  to your first three way to feed the electronics neutral of the switch

if i rely on standards the black wire is the common (line) of the switch and also feed the elctronics inside the switch, the white and red ones are the load switchers (travelers) and the blue one MAYBE the electronics neutral of the switch.

to fix it you have to run an extra wire from the lights to your 3-way

sorry for the work but i have nothing more simple

hope it will helps

[Movieboy]

Thanks. I really appreciate your help. At this point my options are to return the products or hire an electrician to come out and install the switches for me. Does anyone know what something like this would cost? I would need two neutrals pulled; one for the hallway and one for my bedroom.

[Mellowmark]

There Maybe another option.  You could use the xpfm divice for the fixture, then install xpt transmitters in the switch box locations. This would be possible with the wiring that is available in your situation.  Here is another thread that talks about it.

http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=18585.0

All you would have to do is wire the xpfm or xpdm into the light and then change the switch leg in the switch box, into a hot and neutral set up. Instead of line and load. this would have some additional value.  The xpt controller is multifunction and could not only control the one device in the room but  have up to three more devices added to its capabilities.

here is a link to the xpt
http://www.thehomeautomationstore.com/x10proinwallkeypads.html


This device is also available on eBay  for a good price.


This would be a very powerful option and there could be multiple xpt devices in the threeway locations.

[Movieboy]

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll look into it.

[Movieboy]

Just a follow up. I called an electrician and although they would come out and give me a free estimate for pulling the wire they said they have a $90 service fee. That's almost as much as I paid for all my X10 gear. So I went to Lowes, bought a 25ft fishing tape and 20ft of 12 gauge wire and spent 2 hours on Saturday pulling the wire. The hardest part was getting the tape into the light switch box from fishing it down from the attic. Once I got that part done the rest was easy. I want to thank those that responded to me for helping me figure this out.

[Mellowmark]

   Way to take the bull by the horn Movieboy.