Lutron Maestro Dimmer Switch Repair

[@prow7]

I had a halogen bulb blow out, trip the breaker and as you can guess, ruined the Maestro dimmer. It's now obvious the TRIAC was ruined since the lights came on but the dimmer no longer functioned, though at least the FASS tab worked as a light switch. Thanks for the tip on drilling out the rivet and how to check the TRIAC continuity so I was able to confirm it is dead.

[@Accumulator1]

I been watching dimmer builds on KZbin so I got familiar with triacs etc. I have saved several rotary dimmers that just stopped working . I want to repair. So I think I have may have the knowledge to do so. Tks for encouraging video.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Good success with the repair - thanks for watching 🙂

[@cs3599]

Thanks so much. I have the light/fan combo unit with the IR remote. It was $120 or so when I bought it years ago. It stopped working. I found your video and tested the triac and it was indeed bad. I bought them on Amazon and changed it and it fixed it. I’m very thankful for your video

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad you were able to fix your dual switch as well with a new TRIAC.

[@josephdragan7734]

Did NOT understand a single word...Enjoyed every minute though. Thanks for the lesson

[@jishi6005]

Good video I fixed my macl-153m. The triac type broken charger to bta16 working well.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Good stuff 👍

[@corazontopangalive3905]

Excellent video! I have a Lutron RadioRA2 dimmer that failed similarly, and I was struggling to take it apart- your video was a great help! Mine has a bunch of additional components for the radio, etc., but the basic structure is identical. I ordered a replacement ST BTA12-800CWRG triac from Mouser, and I'm waiting for it to arrive, and figure out if it will work again. The triac in the dimmer must have a proprietary part number (it says "130 360 GK198 VU CHN 841 ST e3G") that I couldn't search for, so your recommendation for a replacement device was very useful! Hope it works! Thank you!

[@niznoz8379]

How did it go? I've got a Caseta Dimmer that I got "open box", but never worker. Lights don't go on.

[@corazontopangalive3905]

It went really well … but it still didn’t work! I guess more than just the triac must have been destroyed ….

[@pcrengnr1]

Hey, thx for sharing. Good sleuthing about the isolated tab requirement. They are still using State-O-The-Ark technology. That is, antique technology that is as old as the Ark. Hahaha. The funny thing about fuse protecting a Triac the fuse costs more than the Triac and there's no guarantees that the fuse will interrupt before the Triac is destroyed. Again, thx for sharing.

[@frc293]

Great work, Now I can fix mine. Thanks...

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it was helpful & have fun with the repair 👍

[@juanverduzco8085]

Very good video 👍🏼

[@biok2006]

I have the Cooper smart dimmer (remote) and when I connected it I had the lamp on and now nothing works, only the lamp remains on and a single green led on dimmer is on. I don't know if it went into protection mode or it burned out. Does this reset work for that model? Did something burn when connecting it? I appreciate you helping me. I opened and there is a little black mark like burn next to de diode.. i really dont know what to do🤷🏻‍♂️ Thanks

[@jeffkosowsky67]

Cool video. And yes Triacs are often at fault in any such blown dimmer. But why don't you get a real soldering iron? They are so cheap. The one you have is made for desoldering 2-lead devices, especially SMD. It seems so awkward to use only one of the tips. Surely if you have a Fluke, you must have a real soldering iron or two or dozen somewhere in your space... :)

[@davidgibson8291]

My green dimmer light is blinking, what’s that sound like?

[@jeremiah1797]

what can be wrong if the lights comes on but it don't dim. it just turn on and off but no dimming?

[@jasondaniels4698]

I heard a pop in my Maestro. I took it apart, found a burn mark but can't find what overloaded. It looks like a burn along the side of the circuit board. Any ideas on how to fix that?

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Without seeing it first hand and doing a proper component diagnoses, no way to know. If one full side of the board is burnt however, that sounds like a catastrophic failure which has likely cascaded to many components and would not be worth fixing; but again, without seeing it first hand and testing, that is just a guess based on description alone.

[@dgu2]

Amazing! I have 5 fried ones ... Thanks!

[@marcogventura2512]

Thanks for posting.Very interesting. I'll try doing it on a bad one I have. Just curious though why you pulled the board from the housing. Seems to me one could replace the triac without pulling the board out.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Basically for inspection, but it was also much easier (for me anyway) de-soldering it from the back side.

[@pipercolt1963]

we have taken a wireless caseta dimmer apart and have verified the triac is the culprit. 2 pins shorted. Now we went to digikey got a replacement , soldered it in delicately and it worked for 2 hours, then we tried with the other 2 this time with thermal protection. they failed. does ground matter?

[@MGCoin333]

The body of it is also ground, so ensure it doesn't touch either elsewhere, could have caused a short too.

[@elttydj]

short in? how many ohms? usually the triacs are built in resistor incorporated.

[@MGCoin333]

@@elttydj they also need to ensure the pins are the same.

[@shawns156]

I was given the exact same dimmer broken from a friend, mine has a failed TRIAC as well. More importantly 2 resistors on the back side have fried, could you plz tell me what resistor values are for R44, and R11? They have fried on mine. If you can't read the resistor values, might you be able to take a high res picture of the board bottom? Looking forward to repairing this so I can use it in my room, with the warnings you have provided aswell.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

It's long been back in use in the wall box - no access to it in other words.

[@shawns156]

@@Rchelicopterfun ah okie, last week I was able to barely make out the original values and replace them. Its working now, awesome little IR dimmer switch.

[@randyqario6707]

I have the lutron caseta, did the same thing and I'm trying to find the replacement part and I can't find the number that listed on the IC regulator. Do you know what's the input voltage and the outlet voltage are ? Or how I can find the right part ?

[@TheRackits]

answer the man, John

[@alancampbell7310]

Johhhhnn?

[@vollandt]

What would it take to add an additional connection that is full power (doesn't go through the dimmer circuitry) in the vacancy sensor version of this item tinyurl.com/y2f3u7ua In my bathroom I'd like to a simple setup with a single on/off button, vacancy off, and when on, the fan is fully powered, and the lights powered according to the dimmer setting.

[@scottmetoyermusic8449]

Awesome - really helpful. Thanks!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it was helpful.

[@FirstLastOne]

Actually, you will NEVER get full brightness as in 100% line voltage through those triac dimmers. If your line voltage is say 120V, then you might at best see 106V which with most Halogens and performance LED bulbs will make them look less than stellar. Lutron knows this and has been using this 30+ year old technology even in their so called new smart Caseta line.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

"Full brightness" was in reference to the dimmer output setting level. Regardless, I doubt many people could actually perceive any light level difference between a triac controlled dimmer & full brightness over a standard switch passing the full 120V. We have a number in the house side by side and I sure can't see any light output difference. I can actually detect a larger difference in light output between an old halogen or LED bulb vs a new one by eye than between a dimmer and normal light switch. Totally moot in other words.

[@gurutimes2]

it should be taken off the board to test

[@Rchelicopterfun]

You mean like I did at 7:22 😄 Regardless, TRIACs can be tested in circuit - provided of course the circuit is not energized and the load being switch/dimmed (the bulb/s in this case) is disconnected from the circuit.