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Re: 3-way switch issue Wayne Whitney 06-17-2008
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Posted by Wayne Whitney on June 17, 2008, 4:05 pm

> Power in -> upstairs light -> Master Switch -> Slave Switch ->
> downstairs light
>
> Is there a way to make this configuration work?

To make a linear arrangement like this work, you need the following
number of conductors in each leg, in addition to the EGC:

Power in --(2)--> upstairs light --(3)--> first switch --(4)-->
second switch --(2)--> downstairs light.

More expicitly:

Power in --> Upstairs light                Neutral, Hot
Upstairs light --> First switch                Neutral, Hot, Switched Hot
First Switch --> Second switch                 Neutral, (2) Travelers, Switched Hot
Second Switch --> Downstairs light        Neutral, Switched Hot

Yours, Wayne

AppliancePartsPros.com, Inc.
Posted by Doug Miller on June 17, 2008, 4:37 pm
>
>> Power in -> upstairs light -> Master Switch -> Slave Switch ->
>> downstairs light
>>
>> Is there a way to make this configuration work?
>
>To make a linear arrangement like this work, you need the following
>number of conductors in each leg, in addition to the EGC:
>
>Power in --(2)--> upstairs light --(3)--> first switch --(4)-->

Nope, just 3.

>second switch --(2)--> downstairs light.
>
>More expicitly:
>
>Power in --> Upstairs light Neutral, Hot
>Upstairs light --> First switch Neutral, Hot, Switched Hot
>First Switch --> Second switch Neutral, (2) Travelers, Switched Hot

Why does he need a "switched hot" in addition to the travelers?

>Second Switch --> Downstairs light Neutral, Switched Hot
>
>Yours, Wayne

Posted by Wayne Whitney on June 18, 2008, 12:57 am

>>Power in --> Upstairs light Neutral, Hot
>>Upstairs light --> First switch Neutral, Hot, Switched Hot
>>First Switch --> Second switch Neutral, (2) Travelers, Switched Hot
>>Second Switch --> Downstairs light Neutral, Switched Hot
>
> Why does he need a "switched hot" in addition to the travelers?

The upstairs light needs to be connected between the switched hot and
the neutral. Thus the switched hot has to be taken from the second
switch back to the upstairs light. It goes from the second switch,
through the first switch box without being used there, and then to the
upstairs light.

Another way to look at it is to suppose the upstairs light came last,
after the downstairs light. Then you'd be carrying the neutral and
the switched hot to the upstairs light. Now when the upstairs light
comes earlier as it does here, you still need to carry the switched
hot and the neutral to the upstairs light.

Yours, Wayne



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