I have 2 three way switches controlling a string of outdoor potlights. The attached diagram shows the wiring for both switches. I don't understand what the black and white wires connected by the wire nut are doing. I want to eliminate one of the switches and have the lights controlled from just one location (switch#2 preferably).


The reason for this is I would like to install a leviton timer switch. This has 4 wires (Ground-Green; Power to lights-blue; hot-black; neutral-white) and is a single pole switch.

Any suggestions on what I could do?

 

Your diagram doesn't look right because your 2 wire cables aren't going into a box.

But, to answer your questions, the black and white are tied together because code allows the white, in a cable assembly, to be used in a switch, however, it must be the feed the switch and be re-identified as ungrounded(hot).

To make a 3-way as a single pole, you would just twist the travelers together, make a pigtail and use that on one side of your switch and the common on the other side of your switch.

 

thank you very much for your reply....and you're right i messed up the diagram.


COuld you just clarify what to do at switch one so i can connect the timer switch at switch #2?


Thank you!

 

Wirenut.,

Yeah it can be done that way however I don't know if you catch the OP did mention 4 conductor at the timer switch if so that will not work with that set up due you need the netural to run the electronic timer.{ I am not going to argure with ya but just kinda point it out where the OP is going with that setup and I dealt with Levetion switch setup like that }

To Oldschool7777.,

There is the other way you can do this but you have to understand this the code do not allow the juction box to be buried at all so once if that switch is gone and it is a single gang verison just get a blank cover for it.

To order to use the timer as you request this will be little tricky but with the switch box #1 do you have any other cables in there? If not keep going with reading here.,,

What you will have to do this is you see the black/white conductor with wirenut please seperated it and get all whites tied together and push it back in { if that white is remarked grab a white tape to remark it again }

now next step take the one black conductor from the line supply which it will be bottom on the #1 photo and take the black from XX-3 wire nutted together then take the red conductor from XX-3 to black XX-2 that go to the outdoor luminaires now you are done with that part now go to switch #2 location here what you have to do is take the exsting three way switch out now that white if that was remarked to other colour retape with white again that will be your netural feed now with black one that will be a hot conductor that will go in the timer. take the red one to bleu timer wire that is switched conductor as you see why I mention above so that you should be good to go.

Before you do that make a drawing first as I describe once you understand it it will be easy to do it however one stern warning here make sure you have the power off first before you fiddle around with switch box !!


If you have more question just holler one of us will help ya

Merci,Marc

P.S. I put in XX mean either 12 or 14 AWG because I do not know which size you have in there.

 

Marc,

Merci beaucoup!

Thank you for your help!


Stefan

 

Thanks for pointing that out, I sometimes read over things fast without fully comprehending the full post.

 

You need to identify both the 2-wire "Feed-In" power cable , and the 2-wire "Feed-Out " cable to the fixtures.

The White wire of the "Feed-In" cable will connect to the White wire of the "Feed-Out" cable and the White wire of the 3-wire cable to SW # 2 , = a three White wires connection-point.

The Black wire of the "Feed-In" power cable splices to the Black wire of the 3-wire cable to SW # 2.

The Red wire of the 3-wire cable to SW # 2 splices to the Black wire of the 2-wire "Feed-Out" cable to the fixtures.

At SW # 2 , the timer connections are Black-to-Black , White-to-White , and Blue-to-Red.