Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadywood
As an electrician in a former life, I can guarantee that your motion-sensing switch will not work in a 3-way circuit, unless it says on the box it's designed for a 3-way circuit.
Two of the three wires you are seeing are called "travelers". The red one is probably one of them. A good electrician will have twisted them together. Either one or the other will carry current, depending on the setting of the two switches in the circuit.
The other wire is either a "hot" (line) or a "switch-leg" (load). If you look at the 3-way switch you removed, you will see that two of the screws are silver and the other is brass. The brass screw is attached to the hot or switchleg, depending on which end of the circuit the switch is on. The travelers are attached to the silver screws.
If your motion-detecting switch doesn't have three screws like that (or three wires with appropriate labels), it is not a three-way switch, and will not work in the circuit.
The only way to determine the hot wire is with a circuit tester, with the power on, which is not something I would recommend for a non-electrician.
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The online description of the switch specifically says it is for a 3-way circuit (I'm not quite that dense) BUT it doesn't say that it can only be installed in the "LOAD" box and therein lies my confusion. Your post mentions which "end" of the circuit the box is on and that's what I am trying to clarify. Apparently one end is considered the "Line" end and the other is considered the "Load" end. From what I've read, it appears to me that the box I would like to install it in is a "LINE" box (in their language). This is based on its proximity to the breaker panel plus I don't see enough wires for this box to feed the light being controlled. I have ordered a three-way motion-sensing switch from a different manufacturer to see if it has such a restriction. I understand single pole, double throw switches but it is the definitions (by the switch maker) that confused me. Thanks to all who posted helpful replies.