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tbroms

Please help with 4 way switch problem

tbroms
17 years ago

I'm hoping somone can please help me - I have some outdoor floodlights that are controlled from 3 locations. The floodlights are up by the roof. There is a 3 way switch on the first floor, a 4 way switch on the second floor, and a 3 way switch on the 3rd floor.

The 3 way switch on the first floor has a red, white and black wire and no other wires in the box (except for ground).

The 4 way switch on the 2nd floor has 2 red wires going to the 2 screws on the top on either side, and 2 black wires going to the 2 screws on the bottom on either side. There is also a birds nest of other wires in this box (partly because there is another 3 way switch in this box for a separate circuit), and I did not pull them all out to see what else was connected where.

The 3 way switch on the 3rd floor has a red wire going to the single screw on the left, and two black wires going to both screws on the right side of the switch (one shiny, one dark). I also see 2 white wires nutted together in the box, and also 2 other white wires and a black wire nutted together in the box.

I think the power is coming in to the 3 way switch on the 3rd floor, because other lights go out on the 3rd floor when I turn off the circuit breaker.

The light outside is fed by a black wire and a white wire, nothing else in that box.

My problem - the 3 way switch on the first floor and 4 way switch on the second floor were both cracked and dirty, so I replaced them. I put in the new 4 way switch exactly like the old one was. I thought I also put the new 3 way switch in the same way as the old, but now there are certain combinations of the three switches where the light will not work, but other combinations where the light does work. I tried every combination of wires to the 3 way switch on the first floor, but I still can't get the light to work 100% of the time.

What should I try next? I have done everything I can with the 3 way on the first floor. I thought that since the 4 way switch had red and black wires to it, these would be the travelers and so I hooked up the 3 way on the first floor with the red and black going to the dark screws and the white going to the bright screw, but I still have the same problems. Should I replace the 3 way on the 3rd floor? Or, is it possible the new 4 way switch (it is a Cooper) does not wire up the same way as the old 4 way I took out. I must confess I threw away the box and do not have the wiring diagram anymore that came with the Cooper 4 way switch.

I would really appreciate any suggestions. Thanks - Tim

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