Help Replacing Two Switches


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Old 12-08-19, 02:16 PM
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Help Replacing Two Switches

I have two light switches which I want to replace/update with smart switches. I removed the old switches and realized the before pic didn't come out so now I'm stuck. Here is what I'm left with:

1st Wire: Black/White (This wire is hot as I tested)
2nd Wire: Black/White
3rd Wire: Black/White/Red

The previous light switches controlled lights in the kitchen and were independent of each other. Also the previous light switches have black/black on one and black/red on another one. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
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12-08-19, 10:29 PM
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It wouldn't make sense to have had a spare cable hooked up that did nothing.
I'd imagine it was for something that you had not found dead.

Based on that idea..... your wiring would have been all whites together.
Both blacks of the two wires together with two tails to go to the switches.
Red of the three wire to one switch.
Black of the three wire to the other switch.
 
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Old 12-08-19, 03:59 PM
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Did you disconnect all the whites? Were they connected together?
Does your smart switch need a neutral?
 
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Old 12-08-19, 04:04 PM
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I removed the old switches and realized the before pic didn't come out so now I'm stuck.
The pictures don't necessarily need to post correctly but if you took them they should be correct in your camera or phone. Are they ????

Those are not wires..... those are cables. You have multiple wires IN a cable.
1st cable...... Black/White (This wire is hot as I tested)
2nd cable..... Black/White
3rd cable...... Black/White/Red
 
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Old 12-08-19, 04:21 PM
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Yes all the white wires were bundled together with wire nuts.
 
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Old 12-08-19, 04:24 PM
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Thanks PJMax for the clarification on the proper wire terminology. The before pic is completely fuzzy and not even recognizable. Sorry about that. Would this be a show stopper? Thanks.
 
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Old 12-08-19, 04:59 PM
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You have three cables. You've determined one is the supply cable. By the colors on the switches we can assume the three wire cable is feeding the lights. We don't know what the extra two wire cable is for.

Do you have anything else dead...... other than what the two switches control ?
 
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Old 12-08-19, 09:01 PM
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PJMAX and JOED I really appreciate your help with this problem. After some troubleshooting I finally got this working. It appears the second cable (black/white) is not in use and might be due to previous homeowners. On the Third Cable the black wire goes to one set of lights and the red wire goes to another set of lights. When I hooked everything up each switch turns on the correct light. with no issues. Even though everything works I just wanted to verify this setup and you don't see any issues down the line. Thanks again for all your help.
 
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Old 12-08-19, 10:29 PM
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It wouldn't make sense to have had a spare cable hooked up that did nothing.
I'd imagine it was for something that you had not found dead.

Based on that idea..... your wiring would have been all whites together.
Both blacks of the two wires together with two tails to go to the switches.
Red of the three wire to one switch.
Black of the three wire to the other switch.
 
imnobobvila1, joed voted this post useful.
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Old 12-09-19, 02:50 PM
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HAHA You called it. I found an outlet not working and when I hooked it up to the hot wire it worked correctly. All is working now and and my kitchen lights work with no issues. Thanks again for all your help.
 
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Old 12-09-19, 08:18 PM
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Good job. Joed and I like to hear when a plan comes together.
 
 

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