Wiring a 3 Way Light Switch W/ Lights Ouside the Switches


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Old 07-02-14, 02:50 PM
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Wiring a 3 Way Light Switch W/ Lights Ouside the Switches

Just want to make sure this is done properly before giving it a go myself. I've excluded the ground wires for simplicity. Black swirls indicate black tape, the numbers represent the number of conductors in the cable between each box.

Attachment 34073

Higher resolution: http://i.imgur.com/c9bbbq6.png
 
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Old 07-02-14, 03:55 PM
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I see a problem right off the bat..... you can't remark a green/ground wire as a current carrying wire. Anyway... if you did.... what would you do for ground ?

You may be able to find xx-4 w/ground for that application.
 
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Old 07-02-14, 04:32 PM
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Oops. I meant for the green one to represent a fourth conductor, not the ground. Would blue be the 4th color typically? I don't think Ive actually seen a romex 12/14 4 W/ ground before :P

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNDE0/z/328AAOxyFd1SKLag/$T2eC16J,!y8E9s2fig!fBSKL,fmhKw~~60_35.JPG

I assumed such a cable might have been common but seeing as how Ive now looked on google and cant seem to find one in stores I suppose I could just use two 12/14 2 W/ground and tape the neutral wire (in place of the green wire) instead?
 
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Old 07-02-14, 05:12 PM
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You only need to do a standard 3-way to one light and feed the other lights off the first light.

Bring power in to the first light.
  • Run xx-2 from the light to the first switch.
  • Run xx-3 from the first switch to the second switch.
  • Run xx-2 from the second switch back to the light.
  • At first switch White of xx-2 to white of xx3.
  • At first switch Black of xx-2 to common.
  • At second switch White of xx-3 to white of xx-2 back to the light.
  • At second switch black of xx-2 to common
  • Red and White of xx-3 used as travelers.
  • At light all Whites including light together.
  • At light black of power in to black of xx-2 to first switch.
  • At light black of xx-2 from second switch to light black and power out black.
This gives you a neutral in all boxes as required by 2011 NEC without using xx-4.
 

Last edited by ray2047; 07-02-14 at 06:37 PM.
 

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