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enter image description hereBox one. enter image description hereI'm doing a remodel and want to add a fixture to an existing three way, it would be a ton of work to reach the existing fixture or the three way switch that has the power supply in it's box. My question is can I, or how do I add a fixture off the other switch location.

This is the exiting switch configuration. I want to add a light fixture off the switch on the right. existing condition

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  • In the photos it shown one of the two switch locations. There in a 14/3, the white and red wires are attached to one side of the switch, the black wire goes to the power source. There is a 14/2 and both the white and black wires go to the other side of the switch. I'm assuming that the 14/2 goes to the light fixtures and the 14/3 goes directly to the other switch location. The other switch location has only the 14/3 all three conductors are attached to the switch at that location.
    – Eric Shroyer
    Feb 26, 2021 at 1:51
  • I may be able to get a wire from this location to the fixture I am trying to add, and or, the other switch location.
    – Eric Shroyer
    Feb 26, 2021 at 1:54
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    Can you get us photos of which wires connect to which screws on the 3-way at the power source? Something is wired weird here...
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Feb 26, 2021 at 2:48

1 Answer 1

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You can't. Not with steam switches.

You will need to switcheroonie over to "smart switches" for this to work.

You will need smart switches that communicate either wirelessly or via powerline signaling. You won't have ANY spare traveler wires.

On the inter-switch 3-way cable, you will reassign all 3 wires to new jobs, which will be obvious.

  • White = neutral (smart switch and lamp need this)
  • Black = always-hot (hot at all times, the smart switch needs this)
  • Red = switched-hot (hot when the lamp is on)

Both lamp hots get attached to the switched-hot wire.
Both lamp neutrals get attached to neutral obviously.

One of the smart switches attaches to always-hot, switched-hot and neutral.
The other smart-switch attaches to always-hot and neutral.

Often the layout of the 3-way circuit dictates where the master must be - but not this time. You can have the master in either location here.

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  • There's a way to do this with a relay in the box that has the power supply in it, but I want to know more about the OP's situation first
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Feb 17, 2021 at 1:27
  • I will try and get photos tomorrow. I'm pretty sure Harper is correct on this. Thanks
    – Eric Shroyer
    Feb 17, 2021 at 2:18

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