I cant get a straightforward wiring situation. I have a pair of 3-way switches powering a single light in my dining room. I pulled the switched out to test. Switch A has a pretty standard looking wire connection (see pics 1097 and 1098) with some exceptions. The terminals and sides are wrapped in electrical tape, and even when the switch is in the 'off' position TWO wires - black and white - test as hot, marked with black electrical tape (see pics 1101 and 1102).

Switch B (see pics 1099 and 1100) has a three-wire arrangement where the white wire is hot.

I'm not sure how to work with Switch A. Any insight to offer?

 

Normal for a tree way switch.
Everything is normal for a three way switch.
Do you have a problem you are trying to fix? Tell us about it and we can help.

 

Perhaps I'm just spooked with some other problems I'm having with other switches, but I haven't encountered one with two hot wires leading in. The 3-way switches I bought (Home Depot's Levitron preferred) have one black common terminal for the hot wire. So what do I do with the second hot wire on the box for Switch A? Pigtail the two hot wires together?

 

Common terminal is not just for hot wire. It is just a common terminal between 2 remaining terminals.
Which one becomes hot depends on how it is wired.

3-way Switch Wiring - Electrical 101

Perhaps these diagrams will help.

 

The switch with two hot wires has to be power feed. The power is on the common(black) terminal and toggles between the other two. If you flip the switch you will find the other terminal become hot and first one go dead.

 

thanks for sharing those diagrams and insights. Based on what I'm seeing, then, I should wire the hot black wire on Switch A to the common, and the white and (hot) red wire to the brass terminal screws. Switch B looks pretty straightforward. I'll give that a go this afternoon.

 

Yes..... the hot black wire on switch A goes to the common screw. The other two wires are called travelers. Don't call one of them hot as they alternate based on the switch position.

Since the travelers are red and white on switch A...... they should be the travelers at switch B too.
Hard to tell exact placement with all that tape.