Help! GE 3-way Dimmer Install

So I have the GE ZWave ZX-3002 and 2002 “kit” and I went to install it and I am a bit dumbfounded by the wiring vs what the GE switches expected. 1-way switches are easy, but this had me a bit confused. Here is what I see in each electrical box:

Switch 1 (top of stairs):

  • 1x white (hot)
  • 1x white (neutral)
  • 1x red. I am guessing this is relay or interconnect. When everything was disconnected, there did not appear to be any current.

Switch 2 (bottom of stairs)

  • 1x black
  • 1x white
  • 1x red

Note: on switch 2, I did not test which one was actually caring the load load.

Now, here’w where things get fun…

The GE switch seems to be built around a master/slave principle with only 1 have the load and the other just being a relay. The master switch details are below

  • 1x green for ground
  • 1x Blue for load
  • 1x yellow for traveller
  • 1x black for line
  • 1x white for neutral

Now here is where I need help… Can someone tell
a) is this setup compatible the 3-way zwave switches
b) Does the master replace switch 1 or 2? My guess is 1 since it definitely has a hot line…
c) how should the wiring look?

Thanks!

It sounds like you might have a 3-way switch circuit with power coming in at the light.

If that is correct, the the GE switches you have cannot be used as there are not enough wires between the switches and the light.

For that type of circuit, you would need to use something like a Aeon Labs in-wall microswitch wired similarly to the attached diagram.

Ah. Darn. Ok that makes sense. Anyway to make it work with 2 insteon 2477d? I have spare and I know 3 way wiring with them is different. Thanks

[quote=“boojew, post:3, topic:188938”]Anyway to make it work with 2 insteon 2477d?[/quote]No. The only way to make them or the GE switches work is to run additional wires between the switch and the light.

ok so after doing some more testing and tracing, I realized that what has been done is that electrical and load are coming in the same box rather than load and line each in one. This link describes my setup https://bithead942.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/3-way-wiring-alt.jpg?w=948&h=518 and it looks like that should work. I’ll give it a shot in the coming days

That’s all fine but that’s not what you described in the first post.

[quote=“boojew, post:1, topic:188938”]Switch 1 (top of stairs):

  • 1x white (hot)
  • 1x white (neutral)
  • 1x red. I am guessing this is relay or interconnect. When everything was disconnected, there did not appear to be any current.

Switch 2 (bottom of stairs)

  • 1x black
  • 1x white
  • 1x red[/quote]

That’s only 3 wires in one box and 3 wires in another box according to what you told us. But in the picture on the link you posted… the first box or main box has 3 sets of romex coming in (12-2, 12-2 and 12-3) with 3 blacks, 3 whites and a red just in that one box alone. And no I’m not including the insteon items. So either your count was way off (on your first post) in the main box or this is not that same.

EDIT: GE switch would work fine with the setup in the picture and I’m sure you were only counting the wires connected to the switch and not all wires. Which is one of the reasons people are sketchy on given to much help on a high voltage wiring job. Facts and information is not always what you think… Or correct.

Thanks. You correct in how I counted the wiring. Appreciate the help!