Need help fixing a 3 way switch wiring mess.

In box #1 I have a one pole switch and a three way switch. In this box i have 3 cables :

14/2 that connect into the one pole switch.
12/3 that goes to box #2 where the second 3 way switch is located
12/3 that goes to my light fixture

The power that feed the 3 way setup comes from tapping into the 14/2 black wire that connect into the single pole switch in box #1.

In the box of the light fixture I got the 12/3 cable from box #1 and a 14/2 cable that must exit with power since it goes feeding a series of wall outlet that are NOT controlled by the 3 way switch.

I will spare to you the details on the actual wiring of the two 3 way switches that are now functioning but only if the two switches are on the ON position. They are not doing what they should do.

The original job has been done by the electrician who originally wired the house when it was build in 1989.

PS sorry if I made some spelling errors English is my second language.

Thanks.

 

Actually you have three cables. Wires are individual conductors. A cable is two or more wires in a metallic or non-metallic sheath. Don't feel bad though, that mistake is often made even by those whose first language is English. We just need correct terminology so we are all writing about the same thing.

Are you saying you have a black and white wire on the switch? How is the second switch connected to it?

What is the wiring at the switch. Can you take pictures of both switches with them pulled out so we can see what you see. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/li...-pictures.html

 

Here's a quick hand drawn diagram

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/2909/imagekyv.jpg

 

Very good diagrams. Can you now show us the connections at the light and switch #2. At switch #2 what color wire is connected to the common (odd colored screw, usually dark gray, never green). Your diagrams are good so just a new diagram will be okay. We also need to know the connections at switch one to the 3-way switch.

 

Unfortunately for me if it was power in at the light I would know how to fix this but this is definatly power out. The power comes from the single pole switch.

 

Your diagram shows e 2-conductor cable bringing power from the panel into Box #1 and a 3-conductor cable going from Box #1 to the ceiling box, where there is also a 2-conductor cable that feeds power to a series of receptacles.

If that is what you have, it's sometimes called a "dead-end 3-way." In addition, you have that 2-conductor cable in the ceiling that needs a complete circuit to feed the receptacles.

To wire it, in Box #1 splice the white from the panel to the white in tho 3-conductor going to the light. Mark the white wire in the 3-conductor cable going to box #2 with black or red electrical tape or permanent marker, and splice it to the red wire going to the light. Splice the black to the black going to the ceiling and add a pigtail. Terminate that pigtail to the point, or common, screw on the 3-way switch and terminate the black and red going to Box #2 to the two traveler screws on the switch. Ground the switch and the box if it's metal, and close this box.

In Box #2, mark the white wire with black or red. Terminate it to the point screw and terminate the black and red wires to the two traveler screws. Ground and close.

In the ceiling, splice all whites together. Splice the black from Box #1 to the black going to the receptacles. Splice the red from Box #1 to the hot wire for the light fixture.

 

What do you think of this.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/4624/imagebhr.jpg

the hot wire is not coming from the standard switch but from the light box.

 

I think that it's confusing.

It shows power coming into a 2-gang box that has a single-location switch and a 3-way switch in it, and connecting to the single-location switch. The switched power is then spliced to two wires. One wire goes to the common terminal on a remote 3-way and returns to the 3-way in the first box before going to a light. The other wire goes to the light outlet, where it is spliced to a wire marked to wall outlet individual (not controlled).

What is the purpose of the single-location switch? Why is it there? Why is it interrupting the power to a receptacle marked "not controlled?" Why is it interrupting the power to the 3-way switches that control the light?