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[heinsite]

I have tried on several occasions to wire a 4 way in my home with no success.   The closest I got was turning on lights with two switch and off on all three. 
My questions is would an X10 Pro Inline Dimmable Receiver Module would work to control and dim these lights?
Thanks

[dave w]

Yes, except anytime anyone switches any of your successfull switch installation the inline will not work since you would have switched off the supply to the light (and inline module). Have you tried a X10 3-way wall switch with 2 extra companion switchs? You can find 4-way wiring diagrams here: http://www.x10.com/support/support_manuals.htm

[Charles Sullivan]

I have tried on several occasions to wire a 4 way in my home with no success.   The closest I got was turning on lights with two switch and off on all three. 

Are you talking about mechanical switches?   If so, you may or may not be aware that to control a light with N mechanical switches you need to have 2 "3-way" switches and (N-2) "4-way" switches.

[heinsite]

Dave W, Thanks for the reply.  I didn't think about the power leg getting switched off at one of the slaves.  But doesn't the one 4 way switch have two power legs that could be tied together or would that make it 240v ?

[heinsite]

Charles,  my lights are the currently standard 4way setup with rocker switches.  I tried the x10 3way and two slaves, but never could be them to work at each switch correctly.  One or two might turn on and off. while the third would only turn off?
This particular room has two rows of recessed lights for a total of 8 lights, each b4 are controlled by two separate 4-way switches setups.  Hope this makes since

[Charles Sullivan]

Charles,  my lights are the currently standard 4way setup with rocker switches.  I tried the x10 3way and two slaves, but never could be them to work at each switch correctly.  One or two might turn on and off. while the third would only turn off?
This particular room has two rows of recessed lights for a total of 8 lights, each b4 are controlled by two separate 4-way switches setups.  Hope this makes since

After you've removed the mechanical 3- and 4-way switches, make sure you've identified one set of wires from beginning to end as the hot line and the other set as the traveler line.  I suspect you may have the hot and traveler lines interchanged at one of the switch locations.

[dave w]

Dave W, Thanks for the reply.  I didn't think about the power leg getting switched off at one of the slaves.  But doesn't the one 4 way switch have two power legs that could be tied together or would that make it 240v ?

If you are still using mechanical switches, yes ONE switch of the three will be a DPDT (double pole double throw)switch that actually "reverses" or swaps the "hot" traveller with the "dead" traveller. Electrically this switch will be wired BETWEEN the two standard 3-way switches. Google "4 way switch" or even better,  read Phil Kingery's ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT tutorial on three way and four way switches ( 'you reading this, Phil?  ) http://www.act-solutions.com/kingery07.htm.

The link I posted earlier in this thread gives instruction how to wire the X10 slave switches for 4 way operation. download the "4-way-wiring.pdf" file. The problem might be figuring which wire is which in the 4-way setup.

[steven r]

...If you are still using mechanical switches, yes ONE switch of the three will be a DPST (double pole single throw)switch that actually "reverses" or swaps the "hot" traveller with the "dead" traveller....

Actually this is a modified DPDT switch. Below is a crude drawing of the inside of the switch. Dotted vertical lines indicate the internal connections. It only has 4 connectors on the switch.

                 o---+----------X
A----------o       !
                 o    !
                 !     !
                 o---------------Y
B----------o        !
                 o----+
           

When the switch is flipped up A is connected to X and B is connected to Y.

A________________X
B________________Y


When the switch is flipped down A is connected to Y and B is connected to X.

A______   _______X
B______ X _______Y

[Beep]

Charles,

How does one go about identifying the traveller line?

Charles,  my lights are the currently standard 4way setup with rocker switches.  I tried the x10 3way and two slaves, but never could be them to work at each switch correctly.  One or two might turn on and off. while the third would only turn off?
This particular room has two rows of recessed lights for a total of 8 lights, each b4 are controlled by two separate 4-way switches setups.  Hope this makes since

After you've removed the mechanical 3- and 4-way switches, make sure you've identified one set of wires from beginning to end as the hot line and the other set as the traveler line.  I suspect you may have the hot and traveler lines interchanged at one of the switch locations.

[Charles Sullivan]

Charles,
How does one go about identifying the traveller line?

In any multi-switching arrangement there will be two sets of wires which run from switchbox to switchbox ... to switchbox.  The mechanical switches along the run toggle the "live voltage" back and forth between the the two wires.  It's a matter of picking one set of wires which when connected together at each switchbox form a continuous current path from the first switchbox to the last and calling it the traveller.    Then the other set of wires will be the "hot".

I won't attempt to give you instructions on how to do this - if you're not familiar with household wiring it'd be too easy to get shocked or burned.