Electrical – Replacing two 3-way dimmer switches with two non-dimmer 3-way switches

electricalmultiway-switch

I had two Lutron 3-way dimmer switches for my bedroom lights. They looked something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-MAW603RH-WH-Electronics-Maestro-Dimmer/dp/B000BQMVXC

I replaced the bulbs w/Philips Hue smart lightbulbs, so I needed non-dimmer switches. I bought two simple 3-way rocker switches, and tried to wire them the same way. Unfortunately, on my first try, something was wrong. When the 1st switch was up, 2nd switch could turn the lights on and off. But when the 1st switch was down, lights were off and 2nd switch couldn't turn the lights back on.

So I tried moving wires around on the 2nd switch, and they behave as expected — I can turn on/off the lights from both switches.

Does the mere fact that switches behave as expected show that I wired these two switches correctly? I ask because I'm a new homeowner, and am just paranoid that I may have mis-wired something that will burn down the house one day. Thank you!

(Ground wires are easy to identify, so you can assume I wired them correctly)

(There were no neutral wires on both my old and new switches)

Best Answer

You now have them correct, the one good thing with 3 wires connecting the 3 way switches you don't have to worry about burning things down they just don't work as you found out if they are wrong. Good job of figuring it out, you would not believe how many times I have been called to do what you just figured out.