Three-way switching


  #1  
Old 12-04-06, 09:37 AM
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Three-way switching

I have two lights between two three-way switches with power through switch. How do I wire? I have 12-3 w/G run between each device.
 
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Old 12-04-06, 10:00 AM
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No can do.

Replace the cable between the fixtures with 12-4 or rewire so that you don't need to use 12-4.
 
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Old 12-04-06, 10:07 AM
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There is no way I know to electrically get this done with only 12-3 and still be safe and meet code. You can get an X10 or other 'aftermarket' system to provide the 3-way function wirelessly or otherwise.

The problem is that you need a fourth wire between the two fixtures. Then you cannot run a circuit over two separate cables, so you would need another cable or 12/4 with ground.

If you added a fourth wire, for example in raceway between the fixtures, you would use red and black as travelers between the start and end switches, and you could re-ID the white from the end switch to fixture #2, but you need that fourth wire, for example blue, to get from fixture #2 to fixture #1.
 
 

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