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Home Improvement

Questions tagged [multiway-switch]

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Use this tag for any time lights, fans, or devices are controlled from more than one wall switch location.

100 questions
Info Newest Frequent Votes Active Unanswered
3
votes
2answers
115 views

Light Fixture Stopped Working After Replacing Its Three-Way Switch

I have a halogen light fixture that is powered by a three-way switch at the top of the stairs and another three-way switch at the bottom of the stairs. After I replaced both switches with new 3-way ...
0
votes
0answers
63 views

replaced fan - stuff gets weird

I installed a new ceiling fan that has a remote switch box. Everything worked fine. I couldn’t tell what colors the wires were in the ceiling, but followed the wiring that was already there. Now, the ...
2
votes
1answer
477 views

Help with 2 Dimmer Switches and bad wiring

Two dimmers in one "box", each going to a separate room. One set of lights started to flicker, so I figured I needed to replace the switch. I've done dimmers before. But when I opened the box, whoever ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views

Three way switch with intermittent light functionality

I have a fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen that works intermittently. Or, rather, has been working intermittently, but now has stopped working. I suspected that one of the three way switches ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views

3-way switch and top only hot outlet troubleshooting

We're trying to fix some electrical issues done by our house's previous owners and while doing so, somehow we lost the ability to control the top half of our outlets using a light switch. Long story ...
2
votes
2answers
55 views

Wiring new light switch

I am trying to install a motion activated light switch in my basement of my condo in the United States. On the switch it states that it's max load is 500 watts which should be plenty since the switch ...
1
vote
1answer
75 views

Do I need a neutral on the other end of a three-way switch?

I'm looking at adding a three-way switch to a room. I'll probably drop the hot and neutral into Box #1, but 12/2/2 (hot, 2x travelers and a neutral) is fairly esoteric cable (nobody locally sells it ...
1
vote
1answer
59 views

Swapped out light switch and now WIRES have no power?

We’ve been swapping out all our outlets and switches in our house....with minimal problems until today. In our living room we have a dimmer switch on one wall that controls our overhead light. On ...
0
votes
0answers
50 views

Fixing the wiring with a three way and a single pole combination

I am having a little difficulty fixing the wiring in my house. I have a stairwell with a 3 way at the bottom and at the top is my upper bedroom. There, I have a combination switch with a single pole ...
5
votes
5answers
856 views

Are all switches in a 4-way circuit the same?

I have a four way switch in the house (I assume that is the correct term, 4 switches all controling the same light; flipping any one of them toggles the light; no other lights are affected). I am ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views

No neutral in metal switch box for three-way switches in an older 1930's home

This is a 1936 home in Virginia with BX wiring and metal switch and outlet boxes. We went to replace original three-way light switches located at the top and the bottom of the stairs controlling a ...
1
vote
2answers
44 views

Wiring ceiling fan/light properly on 2 different floors

I have a room with a cathedral ceiling and a mezzanine. On the ceiling I installed a ceiling fan with a light. I want to be able to control "three-way style" the fan and the light from the 2 floors (...
0
votes
2answers
58 views

Need help wiring a 3 way switch

So my wife and I moved into a new-to-us house with almond switches/outlets and we wanted to change them to white. Everything has been going swimmingly until my wife decided to do a 3-gang light switch ...
2
votes
2answers
240 views

wiring of occupancy switch in 3-way situation (odd-looking instructions)

I'm looking to replace one of the two switches (wired in a standard 3-way configuration) which control an overhead light in a utility room, with an occupancy sensor switch. The room is small enough ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views

Installing Levitron Digital Dimmer with Matching Remote

I have a Levitron Digital Dimmer (DDL06-1LZ) and matching remote (DD00R-DLZ). Dimmer is at bottom of the stairs and the remote at the top. Wire it all according to the diagram and dimmer doesn't ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views

Extending circuit from dead-end 3-way switch

I have a dead end 3-way switch in a 2-gang box. The switch is fed with a 14/4 cable using black as common, red and blue travellers, and white as a capped neutral per code. I would like to add a ...
0
votes
2answers
44 views

Wiring a 3 way Leviton VPT24-1PZ Vizia 24-Hour Programmable Light Switch

I'm trying to install a Leviton VPT24-1PZ Vizia 24-Hour Programmable light switch replacing an existing 3 way switch. the electrical box for this switch only has a black wire, white wire, red wire ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views

3-way chandelier switch strange behavior

I have a chandelier with 12x 100w incandescent bulbs and controlled by 2 3-way dimmers. I was going to replace the bulbs with LEDs, and I didn't think the dimmers were rated for LEDs, so I decided to ...
0
votes
2answers
63 views

Installing one way light switch

I accidentally bought a one-way switch for a receptacle that is wired for a three-way switch. I found that the only way it works so far is: Connect the two black wires from the wall to the black wire ...
0
votes
2answers
95 views

Remove a 3 way switch to install fan remote

Newb so be gentle. I installed a fan that doesn't seem to be wired for a separate fan and light switch at the wall, so I capped off the red wire from the ceiling at the fan, and installed the fan ...
0
votes
1answer
111 views

Convert Three Way to Single Smart Switch

I have two switches set up as a 3-way and I'd like to take out one and install a smart switch for the other. I know I need a neutral, and I thought things would be good when I looked inside, but it ...
0
votes
1answer
69 views

Rewire a string of lights using 14/3 or can I add a red wire?

I have a situation where I have a switch at the bottom of the stairs that turns on a set of canned lights on the same circuit. The current wire used is 14/2. I am in the process of finishing the ...
2
votes
1answer
181 views

Help with replacing 3 way switch with a smart 3 way switch

I'm trying to replace existing 3 way switches with 3 way smart switches to control the lights of my light/fan combo. The current set up is a dimmer in 1 location and a toggle switch on the other side ...
0
votes
0answers
17 views

Ceiling fan/light controller for two on a 3-way circuit?

I have two ceiling fan/light combos controlled by two three way switches. They formerly each had RL-103 controllers but without proper wall controls so operation was inconvenient. What controller can ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views

14-2 and 14-3 into one box

In my basement wiring diagram - in Box #1 -- I have a 14-2 cable from the panel and a 14-3 cable terminating a 3 way switch (6 & 7) from the same circuit. Is this ok, normal, against code, ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views

switch box red wire connected to white?

i'm installing smart switches, and found the neutral in another area so i assumed it'd be in all the switch boxes. Well not these two. It's a 3 way switch, and in the back of it there are white wires ...
0
votes
1answer
952 views

changing from a 4-way switch to a 3-way switch

Hi, I have a 4-way switched light in my entryway. I am hoping to install a 3 way smart switch for this light and cap off one of the switches. Referencing the attached picture, I am hoping to replace ...
0
votes
2answers
119 views

2 light switches controlling one light fixture?

In my family room I have a light fixture. There are two light switches controlling this fixture. Yesterday I decided I want to get rid of the ugly brown switches, and change these to light. I have ...
2
votes
3answers
453 views

Replacing two 3-way dimmer switches with two non-dimmer 3-way switches

I had two Lutron 3-way dimmer switches for my bedroom lights. They looked something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-MAW603RH-WH-Electronics-Maestro-Dimmer/dp/B000BQMVXC I replaced the bulbs ...
1
vote
1answer
72 views

3-way switch tied to box, one switch removed, can't make sense of it

I'm starting the question over.I'm having a hard time making sense of what's going on and I found out the other switch wasn't removed. I have a light connected to two switches. One switch isn't ...
1
vote
2answers
59 views

Basement lighting four rooms

So in my basement I want to add lights to 4 rooms. A total of 18 LED lights on 5 switches from one power feed. This would be a 15 A feed all 14-2 wire. Switches 2 & 3 would be a 3 way switch ...
0
votes
4answers
293 views

What is the correct way to wire a 3 way switch where power comes into the middle switch?

I found checked two books and neither had the diagram. Only I found two separate diagrams that did not work. The setup: Box 1 with 3 wire runs to box 2. Box 2 has 2 wire power in, 2 wire to light ...
0
votes
1answer
39 views

Problem with stair switching for light (3 way)

I just did an electrical survey of my house receptacles and fixtures. All voltages are around 119.5V except one. On the light that is controlled by 2 switches (ie on 2 different levels of the house) ...
2
votes
2answers
464 views

Continuous power between multi-gang boxes with 3 way switches

Apologies if this question is answered elsewhere. I couldn't find it specifically. I'm planning on installing two multi-gang switch boxes, where all of the switched lighting will be on the same ...
4
votes
2answers
525 views

3 way switch with outlet always live

First box has 14/2 from panel, 14/2 to outlet, 14/3 to the other switch Second box has 14/3 from the first switch and 14/2 to the light.. how can I wire these up for 3 way switch.
1
vote
0answers
36 views

Hacking a 2 gang intermediate switch

I have a requirement for a 2-gang intermediate light switch (specifically, only one of the gangs needs to be intermediate - the other can be 1 or 2 way). There seems to be very few of these available,...
1
vote
1answer
50 views

Can a motion sensor switch be installed as part of a pair of switches?

I have a switch to my hallway by my garage. The other switch is by my stairs. I have had a motion sensor on the switch by the garage for about 15 years and it worked fine. It finally broke so I ...
1
vote
1answer
988 views

Running power to a single switch from a three way switch

In my garage I have a three way switch that powers the ceiling lights in the garage. There is one switch near the garage entrance near the garage doors, and one switch near the back of the garage. I ...
2
votes
1answer
75 views

Three-way switch wiring behaving oddly

The hot wire and traveler wire behave oddly in a three-way switch in a 1950s house. The metal box has three wires - red, white and yellow. The red-color wire measured 116V, so I assumed it's the hot ...
2
votes
2answers
377 views

Determining which 3 way switch is wired wrong

I have two 3 way switches controlling one light. Sometimes when the light is on neither switch will turn off the light but one of the switches will turn light off if switch is placed half way between ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views

Switch with 2 red, 2 black and 1 ground wire

I have a switch indoors which controls two outdoor daylights. I opened the wall plate and found that it has two red wires and two black wires and one ground (so 5 terminals in all). I stuck a ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views

Smart switch wiring with no neutral

Long time reader, first time poster. Working on updates for our new house and I bought a few lutron caseta switches the other day to wire up in our front entryway. I went with the PD-6ans which ...
1
vote
4answers
142 views

Indicator with two-way switch

We have a two way switch for an exhaust fan. The fan is out of sight from the switches. So, the problem we face is we have no clue if the fan is on or off looking at the switch. I tried to see if ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views

Strange lamp behaviour

I have an exterior lamp that is controlled by a standard switch and a 'timed-relay' (I push a button and light stays on for 3 minutes), I think those two are wired in parallel as if the lamp is on and ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views

How to disable led light inside my rocker light switch

Ive been looking for an answer to my question and this is the first discussion that I was allowed to even join. I have a recessed lighting that operates with 3 switches. 2 of them turn the lights on ...
1
vote
1answer
96 views

Three-way switch puzzle

I have an outdoor light controlled by a pair of 3-way switches, A and B. The switch B is much closer to the light. Here are the behaviors I observe. During the day: A: Up B: Up or Down Light:...
3
votes
2answers
517 views

Multi gang switch boxes - Is it okay to keep the same branch neutrals separated for the different lighting/switching circuits?

I recently learned from this community about the importance of keeping currents balanced in each cable. In other words, current in one direction should be canceled by the same amount of current ...
2
votes
1answer
128 views

Three Way Switch Works With Power Off

I have a switch box with 3 switches in it, each powering a different light. All three switches are supplied by pigtails from one incoming cable. Two switches are simple single pole switches and when ...
0
votes
1answer
100 views

Strange Light Switch Wiring Question

So I am trying to replace an old light switch that has 3 actual switches on it. The top and bottom switch control normal 2-way switches that control one fixture. The middle one is a 3-way switch ...
0
votes
2answers
138 views

Modifying strange 3 way switch wiring

Just moved into a house, and wanting to replace one of the 3 way switches with this item: zwave switch From what I can tell the two switches each have three wires in them, well 4 incl ground. They ...

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