Condo Electrical switch wiring help

dfphoto

Hi forum, my girl has a condo built in 1989, I am trying to help her install an occupancy and dimmer switch into the kitchen with florescent lighting. Lutron makes the switch and in the current switch on the wall we have a black and red (traveler?) wire going to the switch, all white wires are capped together in the rear of the box, the box itself is metal grounded.

My idea:
1. take the black to black on the Lutron
2. take the 2nd black on Lutron to the red wire
3. take the green on Lutron to white (will jump from the 3 white wires currently capped in the box)
4. add grounding wire to box to copper bare wire on the Lutron
5. cap the blue wire on the Lutron

Would this be the correct setup?

k_buz

What is the model number of the dimmer and what type of fluorescent lighting is in the kitchen?

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dfphoto

Hi K_buz,

Lutron Maestro MS_VPS5MH forgot what the lights are called but basic tubed 4-5' length 55 watt I believe.

dfphoto

Forgot the Maestro is rated for a 600 w halogen or 5amp ballast

k_buz

The dimmer will not work with fluorescent lamps. On top of that, the fixtures would need dimmable ballasts.

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dfphoto

Oops I wrote dimmer but I didn't mean that, the package states it works on LED or florescent or halogen.

Ok I just called Lutron and they said yes it is a florescent compatible light switch the 5amp ballast indicated that, but the guy said without a true ground wire in my wiring it might work but not guaranteed and they think it will burn it out ie they can't tell me to do it because it's not to code.

LooseSCruz

dfphoto,

You connect one black on the switch to the black in your box. The other black on the switch will connect to the red. Both the green and bare wires on the switch attach to the ground wire from your box. The blue wire on the switch is capped off unless you have a 3 way setup.

Here's a link to install instructions: http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocum...y/0301619b.pdf

joed

Step 3 is wrong. The green on the sensor is the ground. Connect it to the bare wires in the box not the neutral wires.

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dfphoto

Hi group, I have the green wire to the white cluster and it works are you sure I should take that off and connect to the bare wire ground to the box? I just walked into the area and the occupancy kicked on and just went off. I'm not sure what to do..

Jim Port

The green should be connected to the bare or greens, not the whites.

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Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

LooseSCruz

Just because it works doesn't make it code compliant and/or safe! Definitely unhook that setup and hook the green and bare from the switch up with the ground wire from the box.

dfphoto

Ok not a problem I appreciate your help... I will take the green and combine it with the bare wire but that has to go to the box via a screw.

dfphoto

Hi group, Thank you for the help and support, so I changed the wiring back to green and bare on the Lutron to ground via a screw in the metal switch housing, found an odd behavior of the Lutron. Once I wait 2 min. I can set the time out of the Lutron, so I discovered if I set the Lutron for 1 or 5 min off the unit becomes an occupancy and vacancy switch meaning it turns the light on and off. (this unit is only a vacancy switch via model number) if I choose the longer setting of 30 min to off then the unit is a vacancy only switch. Lutron thinks the unit is bad, wondering if anyone has a comment about it. Thanks again, David

DannyT

that's why they color them green