3-way switch change

[bobbrasch]

I want to change several 3-way switches from push-button to regular switches. I understand about the common wire and the travelers. My question is how do you determine where the power goes to first? Is there a way to test? From what I understand, changing the switches is easy if you know where the power goes first because that determines how it is wired. Is this correct? 1 more question: It is OK to use 1 dimmer and one switch when replaceing 3 way switches (assuming I use a 3-way dimmer)?

[Wgoodrich]

If you have push buttons chances are you have power in the light fixture with a switch leg to the three way switch.

First you need to tell us in each of the two switch boxes how many cables have wires connecting to the switches. If you have two cables one cable will have one wire to the three way switch and the other cable will have two wires connected to the three way switch. If this is true the cable with the one wire should be your common wire.

Let us know what you find

Wg