skip to main content

Electrical Wiring

two switches , one ceiling light

16 years ago

a ceiling light at the base of a stairway is controlled by two switches (one at each end of stairwell). Two armored cables with 3 wires each need to be joined to replacement light fixture. Problem: i cannot tell which wires are live, neutral and/or ground in a set-up that may be older than 1960? the circuit "box" was ROUND! and it was plastered in place!(relax! i already took it out and replaced with another brace to joist in ceiling)How do i get my light back in order? I've tried a couple of connections but i continue to trip the circuit breaker in each of my attempts to turn on/off the light at either of the two switches. this is not a new hook-up, it's worked before, but i can't figure how the wires were joined in ceiling "box".

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

bus_driver
16 years ago
Who disconnected all those wires? And did that person make any notes about which was hooked to which? Any photos? How did that person expect to reconstruct the original hookup?
hendricus
16 years ago
no problem. Need to know what wires are in each switch box and what is hooked where on the switch and what is at the light. Include all information like 3 wire, 2 wire, colors hooked to what color screws, colors of the wire.
Related Discussions
Two switches, two fixtures, one box
Q
Comments (7)
ugggh. foosball, allow me to skip all this and answer your original question! YES. If you have power in that box that "continues on to an outlet", that means you've got a hot feed and a neutral in there, which are what you need. To achieve this: Inside the switch box, remove the ALWAYS HOT wire from the already-working switch. Add a wirenut and two pigtails - one going to the existing switch, the other going to the COMMON (black) screw on the 3-way switch. There should already be a wirenut or other splice attaching the incoming neutral and the outlet neutral. Add the white wire from your 12/3 to that splice. Connect the black and red wires of the 12/3 to the remaining terminals of the 3-way switch. Inside the ceiling fixture where you've run the 12/3 to: Connect your fixture's white wire to the white wire of the 12/3. There must be another piece of 12/3 that goes from the fixture to the remote 3-way switch. This cable's white wire should be permanently relabeled hot (use a black sharpie) and connected to the fixture's black wire. At the remote 3-way, relabel the white wire and attach it to the COMMON terminal. Attach the black and red wires to the remaining terminals.
...See More
Wiring Two Ceiling Fans on One Switch
Q
Comments (3)
First make sure the fan control has enough capacity to handle the power consumed by both fans. Otherwise the wiring is fine either way. As BP points out, though, you will not wire them in in parallel, not in series. Except for switchloops (where white wires are to be reidentified anyway), you always connect white to white, black to black. Explicit series connnections are almost never used in household electrical wiring.
...See More
wiring two lights from one switch through a junction box
Q
Comments (1)
Electrically, and assuming everything in the system is switched together (i.e. no unswitched loads), your hots (black) will all be joined. Your neutrals (white) will all be joined, and your grounds will all be connected to each other and any boxes in the system that are metal. Assuming you want it to meet code, you cannot have junction boxes that are inaccessible (i.e beneath an attic floor or buried in insulation). Dan
...See More
Fan install (two switches), one previously controlled wall outlet
Q
Comments (1)
Depending on how the receptacle is wired it could be a matter of just changing which wire the receptacle is wired to or you may have to by pass the switch at the switch box. As for the fan you can install a new wire to the switch box or just fish down to an entirely new switch. Most fans these days are designed so that they can be installed either with two wall switches (one for lights, one for fan) or a single switch (and use pull chains or a remote control to differentiate the circuit). Code pretty much requires a overhead light or one switched outlet per room to be legal. Note that in addition to wiring the fan must be supported by a box rated for such (which needs to be connected to some solid framing member not just the drywall/plaster ceiling). I can't tell you to the number of times I've come across fans attached to old work boxes or cheesy drywall fasteners rather than proper fan boxes. Old work fan boxes are available that fit through a box sized hole and telescope out to catch the adjacent ceiling joists.
...See More
martin-electrical
16 years ago
Two 3 way switches controlling 1 light
The power goes on one of the switches single terminal the runners are between 3 wire (R, B) remember whites are always the identified nuetral the single terminal on 2nd threeway feeds light , Hopefully this can get you straightened out . How the switches are laid out depends on the manufacturer!
lonesparky95
16 years ago
Three-way set-ups like yours can be wired several different ways. Step one is always the same: identify the feed; ie, the hot conductor (aka wire) bringing current from the panel.

For this, you'll be needing a simple voltage detector, which sells for around 10 bucks. Turn the circuit-breaker off. Next, disconnect all the wires, and carefully separate them. Nothing touching anything? Good, now turn the breaker back on. Test each wire, and only one will be hot. That's the feed.

Post back after you've done that, and we'll get 'er whipped.
lonesparky95
16 years ago
Mea culpa (that's Latin for "my bad"). I just re-read your OP, and you're only dealing with the ceiling box. You say three wires in and three out, which means the feed's in one of the switch boxes.

I still recommend you get a voltage sniffer. Power off, wires separated, and only one wire in the ceiling box will be hot WHEN THE FEED SWITCH IS ON. Process of elimination, you'll figure out which switch that is, top of stairs or bottom.

Let's call the cable with the feed wire "in," and call t'other cable "out." Connect red in to red out. Connect white in to the light's white. Connect black in to white out (that's right, black in to white out), and put a little black tape on that white. Connect black out to light's black. Connect all grounds together.
luckytiff02
16 years ago
"Two 3 way switches controlling 1 light
The power goes on one of the switches single terminal the runners are between 3 wire (R, B) remember whites are always the identified neutral the single terminal on 2nd three way feeds light , Hopefully this can get you straightened out . How the switches are laid out depends on the manufacturer!"

I think I'll go with this answer. I have a similar (not the same) problem in my tiffany ceiling light. I just read the manual and it works fine. Hope you solve your problem.

Related Stories

LIGHTING What to Know About Switching to LED Lightbulbs

By Karen Egly-Thompson

If you’ve been thinking about changing over to LEDs but aren't sure how to do it and which to buy, this story is for you

BATHROOM VANITIES Should You Have One Sink or Two in Your Primary Bathroom?

By Tiffany Carboni

An architect discusses the pros and cons of double vs. solo sinks and offers advice for both

One Room, Two Beds

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD Houzz Tour: When Two Houses Are Better Than One

By Bettina Deda colour design

Subdividing a Melbourne backyard opens up space to build a second home on this family's property

SHOP HOUZZ Houzz Products: One Mod Sofa, Two Cool Designer Looks

Choose your style slant: classic or glam. Designer Kyle Schuneman puts everything together for you with Houzz Products picks

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Switch to a Tankless Water Heater

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

New project for a new year: Swap your conventional heater for an energy-saving model — and don’t be fooled by misinformation

DECORATING GUIDES Switching Up a Colonial Home to Suit a Modern Family

By Becky Harris

Floor plan labels are thrown out the window as a designer helps a family shape rooms to fit the way they live

DECORATING GUIDES Homeowners Are Flipping for Push-Button Light Switches

By Rachel Grace

Button-style switches are hot off the presses again, making news in new homes and antique remodels

KITCHEN DESIGN A Two-Tone Cabinet Scheme Gives Your Kitchen the Best of Both Worlds

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Waffling between paint and stain or dark and light? Here’s how to mix and match colors and materials

KITCHEN DESIGN Idea of the Week: Two-Arm Lights in the Kitchen

By Vanessa Brunner

Shake up your kitchen lighting by using a unexpected fixture in a practical way

Sponsored

More Discussions

How to place outlets within 24" of a sink (with dishwashers)

27

Where to place outlets in primary bathroom?

11

Why would only one outlet be working and no others on the same breaker

4

Globe light fixtures in closets

3

Question about an outdoor flood light socket

0