Two 3 way switches to lamp


  #1  
Old 07-09-20, 04:30 PM
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Two 3 way switches to lamp

Hi, I have renovated my kitchen and I had carefully labeled and taken pictures of the switches in my kitchen, then placed them as a backup on my computer, then the computer crashed and I have forgotten what my labeling means. Luckily I taped together wires that went to a single switch so I know which goes where.

Below is a drawing I made, it will eventually go to a ceiling fan, but now I have a lamp there for testing:



In switches 1, I have a total of 3 switches, from left to right, the first wire is an outdoor light, the second wire is for the porch light, and the third and fourth wires (both black sheaths) are related to the lamp (or ceiling fan).

Again, from left to right: The first black sheathed wire runs to the ceiling fan, the second runs to switches 2.

In switches 2, I have a total of 2 switches, from left to right, the first wire is related to the lamp (or ceiling fan) and runs to switches 1, the second wire is for the hallway light.

The source power is going to the lamp (or ceiling fan). Which is represented by one of the braided silver sheathed wires.

The orange blocks are wire caps, I did not alter these at all, they are left the way the original installer had them.

The way I wired the lamp was I put the red wire in the lamp (or ceiling fan) to the brass screw, and the white wire to the other.

The way I wired switch 1 was black to common, white to line 1, and reds were capped together and connected to line 2.

The way I wired switch 2 was black to common, white to line 1, and red to line 2.

Now, the lamp does not work independently. If I switch on switch 1 the light comes on and off, but switch two has no effect, if I switch on switch 2 the light comes on and off, but switch 1 has no effect.

How do I wire this to make them work independently?

Thanks in advance
 

Last edited by Jason Oliver; 07-09-20 at 05:00 PM.
  #2  
Old 07-10-20, 04:41 AM
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Hi, Box 1 pigtail blacks, one to each switch, red from fan to one side of switch for fan, did you alter the splices in box 1? Is there a 3way switch involved in this location?

Geo
 

Last edited by Geochurchi; 07-10-20 at 04:58 AM.
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Old 07-10-20, 05:22 AM
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Hi, yes, I am using a 3 way switch at both locations (switches 1 and 2). I did not alter the splices in the ceiling fan location or the switches 1 location. I did splice the two reds at the switches 1 location and attached that to one of the traveler pins on the 3 way switch at that location.
 
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Old 07-10-20, 06:13 AM
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Well that changes things, you have 1 3 way switch in box 2 , correct? Is the hallway on a 3 way?
Geo
 
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Old 07-10-20, 06:40 AM
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Yes, that's correct, 3 way at both ends, I haven't done the hallway yet, I suspect it is wired the same way as the ceiling fan, but I am avoiding it until I get this one figured out. So yeah, I got a 3 way at switches 1 for the ceiling fan, and 1 3 way at switches 2 for the ceiling fan. The way it works now is that they don't override each other. I can turn the light on and off from either location, but it's not being overridden as expected.
 
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Old 07-10-20, 09:39 AM
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Cable H brings power and neutral down to the box. At the SW 1 box...... the black wire from cable A feeds the two left hand switches.

The red from cable A goes to the dark/black screw on the 3w switch. The red and white wires from cable B to the two brass traveler screws. (no polarity)

The black wire from cable C goes to the dark/black screw on the 3W switch. The red and white wires from cable C go the brass traveler screws.

It looks like cable D is for a dead end 3W switch on a different circuit.


 
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Old 07-10-20, 11:14 AM
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Thanks, Pete. I'll try that. What about the black wire spliced between A and B from switches 1, does that just not get used anywhere?
 
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Old 07-10-20, 12:41 PM
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Porch light and outdoor light must be on the same switch in which case the 2 blacks on the left get pigtailed and go on 1 terminal on the switch and the other pigtail goes to the other terminal, that box has 1 single pole and 1 3 way .
Geo
 
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Old 07-10-20, 06:09 PM
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Thanks, Pete, thanks Geo. That worked!
 
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Old 07-10-20, 07:35 PM
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At the SW 1 box...... the black wire from cable A feeds the two left hand switches.
Geo didn't realize there were three switches in the box.
 
 

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