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i currently have a 3 way switch with power coming in from a 14/2. there is a 14/3 going to a second 3 way switch with a 14/2 then going to a light fixture. there are white neutrals connected to each other in both switch boxes.

i would like to add a second light fixture that is controlled only by the second switch and then have the first light switch only control the existing light fixture.

can i remove one of the traveler wires (black) from the first 3 way light switch where the power is coming in and connect the end of the black traveler wire to the incoming power wire (black), then connect the other end of the traveler wire (black) to the second switch to bring constant power to that switch. then remove the 14/2 black wire from the second switch which was going to the light fixture and connect it to the other traveler wire (red) that is still connected to the first switch. then connect a new 14/2 black wire to the second switch that goes to the new light fixture?

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    Sounds like it will work. You will need to think about where you will get your neutral for the second light fixture. You say that "there are white neutrals connected to each other in both switch boxes" but that doesn't mean you have a way to get that neutral to the second light fixture.
    – Jimmy Fix-it
    Oct 23, 2020 at 17:55
  • could i take the neutral in the second switch box and connect that to the white wire in the new 14/2 i will run to the light? the black wire from that 14/2 will be going from the light to the second switch.
    – john s
    Oct 23, 2020 at 18:49
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    Yes, you're just re-tasking the former travelers to be black for always-hot and red for switched-hot - which are customary colors anyway :)
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Oct 24, 2020 at 17:56

1 Answer 1

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Assuming that you have

 supply - 14/2 -- 3-way switch -- 14/3 --- 3 way switch --- 14/2 light fixture

yeah, you can do that.

you have something like this:

enter image description here

convert it to this:

enter image description here

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  • +1 Not only will this work perfectly well, but also -- a future maintainer, if he wanted to, could easily convert this back to a 3-way controlling both lights together.
    – A. I. Breveleri
    Oct 24, 2020 at 6:40
  • And if the switch is up for off, move the wire to the other brass screw.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Oct 24, 2020 at 17:55

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