Three-Way Instead of Two-Way
maxop
8 years ago
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maxop
8 years agoRelated Discussions
wiring for three way light switches
Comments (30)Here are the pictures, as requested: The light at the bottom of the stairs looks like There are three cables, all two conductors and the light itself. I will attempt to describe the connections. I'll call the top left cable as cable #1, the cable to its right cable #2, the bottom cable as cable #3. -white(1), white(3), and white of light wire nutted. -black(1), ***white(2)***, and black(3) wire nutted. -black(2) and black of light wire nutted. Switch #1 looks like: (I took lots of pictures, but none of them were really "easy to understand", like the fixture picture.) It looks like the bronze screw is in the middle and the adjacent screws are brass. Switch #2 looks like: It looks like the bronze screw is in the middle and the adjacent screws are brass. As far as I know, the job was professionally done. It works correctly, inasmuch as both switches can turn on the light. Given the age of the fixture, the style of the fixture, and the layers of paint, I would guess that this was the original fixture when the house was built. Does this help? I didn't do the voltmeter measurements, as I was confused by the instructions. Here are my guesses (based on other people's comments): 1) At the light fixture, the supply cable is the bottom cable. Cable #3, in my description. 2) At the light fixture, the cable going to switch #1 is the top right cable, Cable #2. 3) At the light fixture, the cable going to feed other things is the top left cable, Cable #1. 4) Normel pretty much summed it up in: "2 conductor cable is switch loop from the fixture; 3 conductor cable is between the two switches. This was my explanation way back in post #2." and "The white is not a neutral. You have the incoming hot and neutral at the light. The hot at the light is fed to the switch via the white wire, so the two wire cable is a switch loop. The screws where the two black wires attach are your commons." Texasredhead: The black wires are attached to each of the bronze screws. So, am I close in my guesses? Unfortunately, I have a followup question. I was looking at my book "Electrical code simplified house wiring guide, based on the 20th edition of the CEC and the BC admendments, 2006 to 2010" and saw this picture: In this picture, the middle switch shows the white wire going to the common terminal. Newbie/dummy question: Why is this diagram different from the way my setup is done? Am I missing something fundamental in my (mis)understanding?...See MoreThree Way Switch setup
Comments (6)Ain't gonna work. Power feed into switch #1 connect to common on 3-way switch. 3 wire cable to second switch. At switch one connect red and black to travelers and then connect same to travelers at switch #2. Connect white to common of switch #2 and remark it with black tape. in Switch box #1 connect white from Switch #2 to black fixture wire, again remark the white wire with black tape. In switch box #1 connect white from fixture to white from power source....See Moreproblem with three-way switch
Comments (10)Coeng Assuming that the switches worked previously, and that only the switch terminal connections are wired wrong, I advise the following procedure. If you are comfortable using a voltmeter or a neon tester. Follow these easy steps (for 2 -3 way switches). 1) Turn the power OFF and physically remove both switches, and take off the wires from the switches only, leaving 6 exposed wires (3 in each box). Leave the GROUND WIRES on the switches. Seperate each wire so they do NOT touch each other or the switch box. 2) Turn the power ON and identify the HOT wire (it will be the only one of six that has voltage). Measure between each wire and the metal boxes or GROUND WIRE until you find it. [Mark this wire]. Then turn power back OFF. 3) The HOT wire found in step 2 is the COMMON, and goes on the DARKEST screw of the switch. The other 2 wires can go on either of the two remaining screws. Wire this switch back up (call it switch#1) and put it back into the box. This switch (#1) is now correct and you can focus on the other box (Switch #2). 4) Turn the power back ON and identify a HOT wire at switch box(#2).Then toggle the (#1) switch and identify another HOT wire at box (#2).The COMMON wire at this (#2) switch box is the wire that was NOT HOT . [Mark this wire]. 5) Turn power OFF, and wire up the second switch. COMMON, wire goes on the DARKEST screw of the switch and wire up the two HOT wires to the two other screws. 6) Switches are wired right when BOTH switches are "down" and the light is OFF. If not just reverse both "Traveler" wires on one 3 way switch. Have A Nice Day Linesman...See Moreproblem with three-way switch
Comments (1)There are alternate ways to wire a 3 way switch that work and are legal. One is used to feed a downstream receptacle. See. The BEST advice is to mark everything before you disconnect anything. We have no way of knowing how your 3 way was wired....See Moremaxop
8 years ago
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