Power Loss to a Dimmer in a 2-Way Setup?
This article explains the troubleshooting steps to tackle the "power steal" issue when traditionally wiring Lightwave dimmers in 2-way/multi-way switching without a Neutral.
Experiencing issues where your Lightwave dimmer(s) lose power in a 2-way lighting setup? Don’t worry — this is a common scenario often caused by a "power-steal" conflict. Here’s everything you need to know to get your smart lighting back on track.
⚠️ Why does it happen?
In some 2-way configurations, especially those where a neutral isn't present, turning on the master dimmer can unexpectedly cause the slave dimmer to lose power entirely. This is typically due to a power-stealing issue, where one dimmer draws the available wattage, leaving the other without enough to function.
This issue occurs when dimmer switches lack a neutral connection and the load is below the required minimum. Without a neutral, the dimmers draw power from the circuit itself. Each dimmer requires a minimum load of 10W, so a 2-way setup with two dimmers needs at least 20W in total.
However, before changing your bulbs or increasing the load, try setting up the dimmers in a 2-way configuration in the app. Once one dimmer is assigned as a slave, it will draw significantly less power, which can help avoid issues caused by low wattage.
🛠️ Step-by-Step Fix
1. Start with both dimmers switched off (RED LED Indicator)
Before setting up any automation or pairing, make sure that both dimmers are switched off. This allows the master & slave to stay powered and responsive during setup.
2. Create Your Automation
With both dimmers off, proceed to configure your dimmers in 2-way switching via our app . This setup ensures both units sync correctly without power interruptions. This also sets one of the dimmers (or more if you have multi-way or intermediate switching) to a slave, which will ask for less power
3. Power On and Test
Once setup is complete, turn the master back on and test the functionality. In most cases, this resolves the issue permanently.
🔧 Still Having Problems?
If your slave dimmer is still losing power when the master dimmer is switched on, here are a few things you can try:
1. Swap the master and slave dimmers around by editing the 2-way switching automation: Sometimes, swapping the configuration over can fix the issue
2. Increase the loading of the circuit: For each dimmer you have on the same circuit, you will need 10W of load to power each dimmer. For example, 3 dimmers that are controlling the same light and are wired together must have a minimum wattage of 30W to work properly.
3. Connect a Neutral wire: Adding a Neutral to as many of the dimmers as you can will take strain off the circuit due to the Neutral supplying power to the dimmers instead.
4. Use your Slave dimmers Wirelessly where possible: This is possible by using the secondary channels of your slave dimmers and only wiring the lighting circuit to your master, because the slave dimmers would be powered by a different circuit on channel 1 (Primary).
💡 Expert Tip
For maximum reliability in 2-way lighting configurations, we strongly recommend installing a neutral wire at each dimmer point. This small upgrade can make a big difference in performance and stability.