Expert: J Cook - 9/9/2006

Question
Thank you for your help.  I just want to make sure we have our 3 way dimmer switch working properly.  On one side is the 3 way dimmer and the other a regular 3 way switch.  If I turn the dimmer switch on a dim level and then go to the other switch to turn it off, and then back to the dimmer switch to turn it on - it does not dim now.  It will only dim again if I turn the regular the way switch to the other position and then go back to the dimmer.  Is that the way 3 way dimmers work?  Is there a 3 way dimmer switch that always dims regardless of the position of the regular 3 way?  I hope this isn't too confusing.  Thanks.

One more question- we did some construction work a few months back and now all of a sudden one of our circuits does not work.  We lost a neutral somewhere between the panel and the first receptacle in the circuit.  We are reading 120 Volts from hot to ground and this is the strange thing only about 30volts from hot to neutral.  Do you have any ideas what this means?  We disconnected and reconnected the nuetral in the panel and everything looked fine.  Thanks again for all of your help- Angie

Answer
A three way switch combination is the most difficult to describe without a diagram. It sounds like one of the circuit wires is not on the correct terminal of either the dimmer or the regular switch. The best resource is a Basic Electricity manual available at most home improvement stores. It will have pictures of the actual wiring and devices so there is no mistaking how the connections are made. It was the first manual I purchased over 20 years ago and remains the best resource. The problem circuit, were you testing this voltage with the first device removed so that you are reading directly to the panel? With the first device removed and the wires unconnected, you will be reading directly off of the breaker and the associated neutral. If so, the wire is damaged somewhere between the breaker and the first device and must be replaced. Thanks, J