How to wire GE 12724 / 12723

[GoRoos]

Hey all -

This is my first SmartThings install - looking forward to getting started!

I’m trying to wire a three-way dimmer switch and can’t figure out what should go where. I have a GE 12724 dimmer and a GE 12723 Auxillary Switch.

Both gang boxes have bundles of white wires not connected to the current switches.

Inside my existing gang boxes (obviously, on opposite sides of the room):

• One switch has two red wires and one black. One of the red wires is connected to a terminal labeled “COMMON” with a black screw. The two other terminals are unlabeled and bronze.

• The other switch has two black wires and one red. One of the black wires is connected to a terminal labeled “COMMON” with a black screw. The other two terminals are unlabeled and bronze.

The GE 12724 has the following terminals: “Line” (black), “Load” (black), “Neutral” (silver), and a taped-over bronze terminal labeled “Traveler” (the tape reads “No 120V”).

The GE 12723 has the following terminals: “Traveler” (bronze) and “Neutral” (silver).

Any advice on what should connect where?

Thanks!

[JDRoberts]

Labels are a good starting point, but, like wire color, should always be verified. All too many people “make do” when they’re rushed, leaving the next guy with potential problems.

If you don’t know how to tell which is which, most Home Depots have good classes on how to install light switches that can be very helpful in getting started. They won’t necessarily cover networked switches (it depends where you live), but they can keep you from burning down your house and give you enough knowledge to understand the next set of questions to ask.

For the Master switch, this FAQ may help:

Automated Switches: What should my wiring look like? (US Version)

So you want an automated hardwired light switch, but you’re not sure where to start. Well you’re in the right place. The most common requirement of any hardwired automated light switch is a neutral wire. Yes, there are a few…(read very, very, very few) switches that don’t require a neutral, but those will limit you to incandescent only. For those of us using LED, Fluorescent or some other energy efficient bulbs under 20w a neutral is REQUIRED! So what does this look like? [image] This is a diagram of a switch with the neutral run directly to the light. This is not good for automated hardwired light switchs and i would HIGHLY recommend that if you want to automate the light, contact an electrician and have them pull a neutral for you. It’s not as expensive as you think and will save you…

The traveler is used for communucation between the master and the aux.

[GoRoos]

Thanks for the response. Doesn’t look like there’s a Home Depot course near me.

How can I identify which wire should be which? Specifically, how can I identify which is the traveller and which is the load and the line (the neutrals are obvious).

Thanks for any further help you can give!

[GoRoos]

Using a continuity tester, I’ve identified the two wires (one black, one red) that go between the two gang boxes and not out to either load or line.

Now to figure that one out

[sidjohn1]

Your traveler should be red, and it should be labeled on the dumb switch

[GoRoos]

There were actually two “travelers” (where “traveler” is a wire that goes between the two switches).

I wire-bolted one of them in the “dumb switch” gang box to the line (which I identified with a non-contact voltage meter). Then I connected the other end of that same traveler to “line” in the other gang. I connected the remaining traveler to traveler in each gang, load to load in the primary switch gang box. Connected neutrals. Everything works.

So - important lessons:

With the power off, Use a spare length of wire, a wire bolt, and a meter in continuity mode to identify the travelers.

With the power on, use a non-contact voltage meter to identify the line and load.

Problems solved.