Re-wiring house


  #1  
Old 09-07-01, 03:57 PM
Guest
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Lightbulb

I have recently rewired my home. I have put in two three way light switches. Each time I use the one switch, the breaker blows. I have tried different switches, only to get the same result. What could be the problem? Please help. The switches worked fine for 2 weeks and now there is a problem.
 
  #2  
Old 09-07-01, 05:21 PM
Wgoodrich
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Sounds like you have swapped a white traveler with a white grounded leg. Look in the box where your switch causes the breaker to kick. Really you need to check both switches. Look to see if you have a white wire coming from a 3 wire cable connected to the neutral and a white wire from a 2 wire cable connected to the switch. If so try reversing those two white wires. This is a calculated guess. Hope it helps you.

Also check the link below showing a picture of several three way switch wiring designs that may help you to understand how they work internal to the switches.

http://homewiring.tripod.com/3way.html

Let us know how you come out

Good Luck

Wg
 
  #3  
Old 09-07-01, 05:38 PM
J
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The most likely explanation is that the switch connects the hot and neutral together. Draw out your circuit and see if this is true.

The other possible explanation is that your fixture has a short. The switches may be working fine, but applying power to the fixture trips the circuit.

There is no really good explanation as to why it worked okay for two weeks and then the problem occurred. A switch could have failed, the fixture could have failed, or a poor connection could have failed. All of these explanations are pretty lame since none of these failures are likely to cause the symptoms you see.

If you would like to provide complete details of your wiring (and this is asking for A LOT of information), we may be able to spot the problem. You'd have to explain every cable, every wire, and every connection in the circuit in excrutiating detail (i.e., make us "see" it).
 
 

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