Need electrical help

[ACobra289]

Hello all.

I need some electrical wiring help. I am hoping this will be very simple for somebody that actually knows something about wiring.

The light in my hall is controlled by 2 switches (one on either end of the hall). I am trying to replace these 2 switches. Not knowing anything about wiring, I made sure to put the wires on the new switches exactly how they came off the old switches. This strategy did not work. I have since tried multiple combinations to no avail. :BangHead:


Can anyone give me any idea how to wire this?

The pics are the left and right side of the switch. The other end of the hall has the exact same switch.


If there is anybody in the Winston area that has testing equipment and could come by and fix this, I'd give them 20 bucks to cover their gas.
Help!

 

[russellellis]

I am NOT a licensed electrician but ive done my share of 3way light wiring. Theres more than one way to run this wiring, like 10 ways, and all the ones i know always need a complete ground circuit.

 

[ACobra289]

I am NOT a licensed electrician but ive done my share of 3way light wiring. Theres more than one way to run this wiring, like 10 ways, and all the ones i know always need a complete ground circuit.

There were no ground wires on the originals.

I'll figure it out.

Thanks.

 

[russellellis]

take a look at these. see if they help. its never as hard at it seems.
http://www.homeimprovementweb.com/information/how-to/three-way-switch.htm

could always be the bulb too.

 

[FredP]

If memory serves when I did mine in the shop I needed 3 way switches. are those three way or plain old switches? also the wires need to be 3 wire with ground. code requires a ground and safety is a concern.

fred

 

[NZAPP1]

Where in W-S are you? I work over on University Parkway and may be able to help.

 

[russellellis]

If memory serves when I did mine in the shop I needed 3 way switches. are those three way or plain old switches? also the wires need to be 3 wire with ground. code requires a ground and safety is a concern.

fred

those appear to be 3 way switches. an easy way to remember is the numbering. 1 light, 2 switches, 3 way, 4 contacts. theres 3+ground on those switches.

 

[ACobra289]

Problem solved!

Once I identified the hot wire, and made sure both switches were getting power, it only took me a couple tries of switching the traveler wires to get the right combination.

I'm also going to install ground wires for the switches. (Something the previous "installer" didn't do.

Thanks to everyone that responded and to NZapp for offering to possibly come by and help.

I appreciate the friendliness of this forum and for not being berated for my lack of electrical knowledge.

Thanks again.
Bill M.

 

[Steve W]

There are usually two black wires in the box with a three-way switch. This creates some confusion, as you can very quickly switch the black wires and have a non-working situation.

The way the circuit works is by completing the connection of the "hot" source to the load (light) via one of the two travelers. In circuits where the power is run into the first switch box and the other end only goes to the load, the drawing referred to is valid. Be aware that you can also have the power source at the load and only travelers going through the switches.

In either case when one switch is connected to the red wire's terminal, then the other needs to also be connected to its red wire terminal to complete the circuit, with the same applying to the black traveler. It's easy to mix up which black wire goes where. The best thing to do when rewiring is to put a piece of tape on one of the black wires (take your pick) so that they look different.

:kermit: Steve

 

[Don Sorensen]

Scary thing from those pictures is that the white wire has been used at the switch....that's a no-no in general. But, you've got it working, so why sweat it?

 

[Steve W]

Yep -- used 14/2 between the switches, with the white as a traveler. It should have been marked.

 

[ACobra289]

Thanks guys.

I have definitely run across some questionable things in this house. Electrical and otherwise. :roll:

 

[Gotcha6]

It's always best to use 14/3 with ground as a traveler wire set. This way you have a ground wire AND a neutral from the power source to the load.