If you were Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
|
Posted by Percival P. Cassidy on October 13, 2009, 1:10 pm
http://www.homeimprovementweb.com/information/how-to/three-way-switch.htm
shows 8 (eight!!) different ways of wiring 3-way switches.
I am trying to figure out how the switches for our patio lights (two
separate fixtures controlled by the same two switches) were wired. Each
switch has two black wires and one red wire -- no white with black tape
at either switch. There are neutrals (several, wire-nutted together) in
each box, but they are not connected to anything else in the box. The
only configurations shown at the above Web site with no black-taped
white wires are Option 1 "Fixture Controlled by Two Switches: Power
Through a Switch Box" and Option 5 "End-of-Run Lights Controlled by Two
Three-Way Switches"; but I can't see what the difference is between
those two configurations anyway.
Any other possibility for 3-way switch wiring without black-taped white?
Perce
|
|
Posted by Twayne on October 13, 2009, 1:19 pm
> http://www.homeimprovementweb.com/information/how-to/three-way-switch.htm
> shows 8 (eight!!) different ways of wiring 3-way switches.
> I am trying to figure out how the switches for our patio lights (two
> separate fixtures controlled by the same two switches) were wired.
> Each switch has two black wires and one red wire -- no white with
> black tape at either switch. There are neutrals (several, wire-nutted
> together) in each box, but they are not connected to anything else in
> the box. The only configurations shown at the above Web site with no
> black-taped white wires are Option 1 "Fixture Controlled by Two
> Switches: Power Through a Switch Box" and Option 5 "End-of-Run Lights
> Controlled by Two Three-Way Switches"; but I can't see what the
> difference is between those two configurations anyway.
> Any other possibility for 3-way switch wiring without black-taped
> white?
> Perce
With the red wire, you don't need a taped wire.
|
|
Posted by on October 13, 2009, 1:51 pm
bf$1@news.eternal-september.org
> >http://www.homeimprovementweb.com/information/how-to/three-way-switch...
> > shows 8 (eight!!) different ways of wiring 3-way switches.
> > I am trying to figure out how the switches for our patio lights (two
> > separate fixtures controlled by the same two switches) were wired.
> > Each switch has two black wires and one red wire -- no white with
> > black tape at either switch. There are neutrals (several, wire-nutted
> > together) in each box, but they are not connected to anything else in
> > the box. The only configurations shown at the above Web site with no
> > black-taped white wires are Option 1 "Fixture Controlled by Two
> > Switches: Power Through a Switch Box" and Option 5 "End-of-Run Lights
> > Controlled by Two Three-Way Switches"; but I can't see what the
> > difference is between those two configurations anyway.
> > Any other possibility for 3-way switch wiring without black-taped
> > white?
> > Perce
> With the red wire, you don't need a taped wire.- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
It would seem to me that option 1 and 5 are essentially the same
thing. The only difference I see is that option 5 has two lights
connected in parallel instead of 1 light. That is the most common
way 3 ways are wired and most likely what you have. It's consistent
with what you describe in your wiring.
|
|
Posted by Percival P. Cassidy on October 13, 2009, 9:46 pm
Twayne wrote:
>> http://www.homeimprovementweb.com/information/how-to/three-way-switch.htm
>> shows 8 (eight!!) different ways of wiring 3-way switches.
>> I am trying to figure out how the switches for our patio lights (two
>> separate fixtures controlled by the same two switches) were wired.
>> Each switch has two black wires and one red wire -- no white with
>> black tape at either switch. There are neutrals (several, wire-nutted
>> together) in each box, but they are not connected to anything else in
>> the box. The only configurations shown at the above Web site with no
>> black-taped white wires are Option 1 "Fixture Controlled by Two
>> Switches: Power Through a Switch Box" and Option 5 "End-of-Run Lights
>> Controlled by Two Three-Way Switches"; but I can't see what the
>> difference is between those two configurations anyway.
>> Any other possibility for 3-way switch wiring without black-taped
>> white?
> With the red wire, you don't need a taped wire.
Many of the configurations shown at that Web site do in fact use black,
red and black-taped white.
Perce
|
|
Posted by dpb on October 13, 2009, 1:55 pm
Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
...
> I am trying to figure out how the switches for our patio lights (two
> separate fixtures controlled by the same two switches) were wired. Each
> switch has two black wires and one red wire -- no white with black tape
> at either switch. There are neutrals (several, wire-nutted together) in
> each box, but they are not connected to anything else in the box. ...
And they ( the neutrals) _shouldn't_ be tied to the switches; only the
hot leg is to be switched.
What the others said re: layout; w/ 3-wire cable there's no need to use
the white as a hot; hence no tape.
The fundamental question is "WHY" and "WHAT" are you trying to do?
If you simply want a another light on the same switches, that could be
done by adding it in parallel to one of the existing ones w/o needing to
know the actual switch configuration.
If it's more involved, then you'll need to figure out which is the feed
and which are the travelers--that'll mean cutting the power and "ringing
out" the wiring or discovering by another means which is the actual feed
which may be deduce-able by looking at the arrangement--where is it most
logical to have power coming from w/ shortest cable runs from what else
is on the circuit?
--
|
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 > last >>
| Similar Threads | Posted | | 3way switch with dimmer | May 27, 2006, 10:55 pm |
| 3way (DPDT) timer switches | October 10, 2006, 1:03 pm |
| 3 way switch wiring | June 9, 2007, 7:41 pm |
| 3 way switch wiring | September 13, 2007, 2:59 pm |
| Wiring a new light switch | May 18, 2006, 6:25 pm |
| Wiring X-10 3 Way Wall Switch | January 26, 2007, 1:29 pm |
| Wiring a Dimmer Switch (3 way) | November 17, 2007, 1:58 pm |
| wiring question -- switch to GFCI? | February 6, 2005, 9:51 pm |
| Switch/outlet wiring question | July 31, 2005, 9:22 pm |
| Wiring a GFI switch receptacle combo | June 17, 2006, 3:28 pm |
|
|
Yahoo! 
Google 
Windows Live 
del.icio.us 
digg 
Netscape 
XML Sitemap
> shows 8 (eight!!) different ways of wiring 3-way switches.
> I am trying to figure out how the switches for our patio lights (two
> separate fixtures controlled by the same two switches) were wired.
> Each switch has two black wires and one red wire -- no white with
> black tape at either switch. There are neutrals (several, wire-nutted
> together) in each box, but they are not connected to anything else in
> the box. The only configurations shown at the above Web site with no
> black-taped white wires are Option 1 "Fixture Controlled by Two
> Switches: Power Through a Switch Box" and Option 5 "End-of-Run Lights
> Controlled by Two Three-Way Switches"; but I can't see what the
> difference is between those two configurations anyway.
> Any other possibility for 3-way switch wiring without black-taped
> white?
> Perce