I am attempting to install a Lightolier Sunset Preset Dimmer and
remote for a new track-lighting setup. But I'm stymied by the need to
know which of my two wall boxes is wired to the load. The instructions
say I must know this in order to install the dimmer in that box.

How does one determine this without benefit of trained mice with
flashlights to scurry around inside the walls?

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Request for Question Clarification by redhoss-ga on 15 Jul 2004 14:58 PDT

Have you solved your problem yet??

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Clarification of Question by alansea-ga on 15 Jul 2004 15:45 PDT

Hey, Red Hoss!

How good to hear from you again. Here's the deal: got the track lights
up (yay!) and they work fine. Then I ran into the dimmer dilemma. I
bot the thing this fellow suggested but couldn't solve the puzzle even
then. I did, however, buy (for only $13 with shipping on ebay) an X-10
dimmer set that I was able to install correctly on first try and it
works pretty well with my existing X-10 box, but not perfectly.
Sometimes it won't dim at all. If you have any thoughts on my original
query here, let me know, because I think the Lightolier dimmer and
remote would be the best thing if I can get them to work.

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Request for Question Clarification by redhoss-ga on 15 Jul 2004 20:59 PDT

We might be able to get the Lightolier setup to work. They have a very
good website with all kinds of wiring info. However, we need to
identify exactly what products you have. They show no "Sunset Dimmer",
but several "Sunrise Dimmer" products. Is it possible that you have a
"Sunrise Dimmer" with a matching remote. If so, there should be an
identifying code on the devices that starts with "ZP". Can you give me
those codes.

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Clarification of Question by alansea-ga on 15 Jul 2004 21:50 PDT

Sunrise it is, not sunset. I have a ZP600VA dimmer and a ZPR3 remote.
Dimmer's instrux say ZPR3 is the right thing to mate with it.

I tried to get help from Lightolier's online spex, but I simply
haven't been able to match up the color coding of the units with that
of the boxes. I suspect the color coding in the boxes is not kosher
and thus adds to my confusion.

What amazed me was that I got this other outfit and slapped it right
in. Everything worked just fine on first try. I have been hoping to
sit down and compare the wiring schemes of both systems, hoping this
would get me on the right track with the Lightolier system. Maybe it
would not seem as confusing next time around.

Nonetheless, any help you can offer me will be gratefully accepted.
You have been a great help to me already!

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Request for Question Clarification by redhoss-ga on 16 Jul 2004 07:04 PDT

I have read about your dimmer/remote and have some questions:
1. Why do you need a remote. You say that you have two wall boxes,
what is it about the location of these boxes that requires the use of
a remote.
2. What was mounted in these wall boxes before the new system was
installed and what did it control.
3. There should be at least four wires in each of the wall boxes
(maybe more). Can you describe the wires and colors.
4. I have looked at the X-10 system and don't understand why it works
some of the time and then not. Is it a problem with how the X-10
system signal is sent/received. Do you use the X-10 to control other
lights.
5. You said that you were stymied by not knowing which wall box is
connected to the load. If the X-10 works at all, then the box you have
the switch in is absolutely the one wired to the load. I assume that
you are currently using only one of the wall boxes. What is in the
other one.
6. Do you have a voltmeter or test light of any kind.

I see no reason that we can't make the Lightolier system work.

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Clarification of Question by alansea-ga on 16 Jul 2004 12:42 PDT

1. I need a remote (and have two boxes) because it is a 3-way switch
setup in an L-shaped hallway. The dimmer says it doesn't work when
paired with a standard switch; gotta use this remote on the second
box.
2. Before, there was a pair of standard 3-way switches in the two boxes.
3. I find black, white, red in each. One has a bare ground wire as well. 
4-5. Let's not talk about the X-10 for now. I hope to take out the
X-10 setup and replace it with the Lightolier. However, the X-10 also
involves a master unit and a remote.
6. I don't believe I have a working meter at this time, but I do have
a test light. Using it, I earlier determined that the black wire in
one box seemed to be the hot wire, while the white was hot in the
other box. That confused me.

Please note that I have two dialogs going here; one with you and one
with crythias-ga at bottom of page. Perhaps info in one will shed
light on some aspect of the other.

You can use a devices that emits a tone on your lines and enables you
to trace it back to your wall box.

http://www.professionalequipment.com/xq/ASP/ProductID.60/id.5/subID.269/qx/default.htm
Is one option.
From Home Depot: www.homedepot.com, put GET-1200 in the search box.
Radio Shack may have one with Catalog # 61-2721

I am not a Google Answers Researcher.

I am sorry my suggestion didn't help you. I kinda expected that you
might have put the power source wires into the tone generator, and
brought the tone detector to your wall box...

I use something similar for network wire termination locators, so I
figured that would be similar to what your question asked. I, too,
wonder what the point is to find the wall box that connects, if not to
make sure you turn it off before working with the electical.

If I can help, I'll do my best. If you decline, no hard feelings. It
wasn't my intention to get you to buy something that didn't meet your
needs, however.

No hard feelings from this end about buying the thing. Maybe it will
do the job yet -- I just didn't know how to use it. Tried but no luck
so far. I get it that you're offering help with this:

"I kinda expected that you might have put the power source wires into
the tone generator, and brought the tone detector to your wall box..."

I've got two wall boxes. So do you mean hook the generator up to one
box and the detector to the other? If so, I'll give it a try.

Not sure what you mean by this:

"I, too,wonder what the point is to find the wall box that connects, if not to
make sure you turn it off before working with the electical."

Please clarify.

I appreciate your help.

alansea

OK, some clarification. I assume (correctly, I hope) that "Wall box"
means circuit breaker box (Something you'll have near or in a closet,
basement, or outside), and not "outlet" (something that's on a wall,
but you plug things --lamps, tvs, etc.-- into it).

There are two parts (which unit did you buy, btw?) for these items.
You have a tone Generator (also called a Transmitter) and a Tone
detector (also called a Receiver).

The tone generator needs to connect to the power feed wiring of the
installation of the Track lighting/dimmer connection. Depending on
your Transmitter unit, you may or may not have to plug bare wires into
holes in the transmitter. Sometimes alligator clips may be all that's
necessary. Sometimes you can wrap one wire around the terminal (you
should have power off at the circuit breaker box before doing this.
Although by the time you figure it out (calling out, "is it off?" to a
friend as you turn off circuit breakers) you've essentially done the
job.

Once the breakers are off, connect the power feed to the generator,
use the detector at the wall box to determine what circuit breaker is
used ... the receiver will announce the beep...

Now, don't necessarily think that the transmitter/receiver is useless.
It can, for instance, help you know what other outlets are on the same
circuit, if it seems you are drawing too much power. But that is
beyond the scope of this question.

This comment:
"I, too,wonder what the point is to find the wall box that connects, if not to
make sure you turn it off before working with the electical."

refers to your original statement:
"But I'm stymied by the need to know which of my two wall boxes is
wired to the load. The instructions say I must know this in order to
install the dimmer in that box."

All I personally am trying to do is help you answer this question. It
seems you've already installed a dimmer, so apparently you're beyond
this point. What's preventing swapping dimmers from the X-10 to the
original one?

When I refer to wall boxes, I am not talking about the breaker box. I
am talking about the two junction boxes that hold the wires for a pair
of 3-way switches. That's where I am attempting to install the dimmer
and remote.

I bought a Sperry Automatic Circuit Breaker Finder, CS-600A.

If what you said was correct that there are only one back, one white,
and one red wire in each of the switch boxes, then this coresponds to
diagram #4 on www.lightingfacts.com. You said in one box the black was
hot, and in the other the white was hot, well to test this correctly
remove both swiches and test again there now will only be one hot
wire..... thats the box you want.(make note of which wire goes where
for later replacement)