On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:58:27 -0400, mm wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:39:14 -0500, AZ Nomad
wrote:

On Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:48:30 -0700 (PDT), Jim O'Brien wrote:
On Jun 14, 12:10?am, Tony Hwang wrote:
Jim O'Brien wrote:
Hi,

We are suspecting that our 3-way dimmer by Leviton is defective. We
are trying to run connectivity tests with a digital voltmeter, and
very high resistance (1.6MOhms). Perhaps the mechanism in these
devices is such that it cannot be measured with a cheapo digital
voltmeter?

Thanks!

Hi,
Pardon me first, do you know what you are trying to do with the DVM?
Today's dimmer is not a rheostat. It is S.S. device.

By measuring resistance, I'm hoping the detect connectivity b/w the
common and one of the travelers. When I flip the switch, I want to see
connectivity b/w the common and the other traveler. I'm not seeing
that. Defective dimmer?

Defective wetware.

The dimmer operates at 120vac and puts out a pwm (chopped) signal to
a bulb. Why, pray tell, do you think measuring its resistance at the DMM's
battery voltage will tell you anything useful? You're measuring the resistance
of solid state devices that aren't switched on.

The only hope you have with a DMM is to connect the dimmer to a load and measure
it then; however, at that stage, if the load is a lightbulb you could simply
look at the bulb's brightness to get the same information.

It's a 3-way switch, so he won't know which one of them is broken?

Put one output leg to the load. test.
Try the other output leg to the load. test.

Hit switch to flip output legs. retest.