I have a 3-way switch that I need to figure out. I am looking for some help.?

Question

I have a box with power coming into it. I have a 14-3 wire leaving that box. In the other box, I have 14-3 coming into it and 14-2 leading to the light. I also have 14-2 leaving the box to go to another switch to continue on that run. I have got the 3way switch to work, but I can't get power to leave the box and go to the other switch. Will someone walk me through and tell me where each wire should go. I have all my white's hooked together. I also have all my grounds hooked together. The trouble I am having is with the hot, commons and traveler wires and getting power to leave the second box. Thanks in advance for your response and help with this.

Answer 1

Wifa had it close to right, But you have Power(hot feed) in one box with a 14/3 The feed end of the circuit, on the other end you have a 14/3 with a 14/2 switch leg, but you also have another 14/2 that feeds something else(the other light switch), what she describe will not work because you are NOT carrying the feed(hot and neutral) from your first box with just one 14/3 - 14/2 in it to be able to feed the 14/2 in the second box(that feeds another light switch), so if you made it up the way she described, whatever the second 14/2 is feeding power to will ONLY work when the 3 way is feeding power to the second 3 way, to fix this run another 14/2 between the boxes, your second box will be over filled for wire fill, nothing to really worry about unless you're getting it inspected. You're only over by two conductors.

Answer 2

Not quite sure what you have here. Do you have 3 switches on this run controlling the same light from 3 different places? If so then your center switch is supposed to be a 4 way and your wiring is wrong in the middle box. You should have 2- 14/3 wires in this box which is 2 sets of travelers, with the 1st box your power and the 3rd box your switch leg to the light. Otherwise there is no way youre going to get constant power out of the 2nd box unless power is fed to one of the travelers which defeats the 3 way switch. It sounds like someone wired this wrong as it will only work when the light is on. There are illegal ways to fix this but my morals keep me from telling you how on here

Answer 3

Electrician here. When boxes are wired by electricians we put the romex that carries power through the hole in the box nearest the stud the box is attached to. The romex leaving a switch box and traveling to a "load" such as a light exits the box from an opening away from the stud.
In a three way switch system, one box gets the power, the other box feeds the light. Each three way switch has two screws the same color where the travelers are attached and the other screw is for the power in on one switch and the load (light) on the other switch. Even some electricians have trouble with feed through power in three-way switch circuits. The first box, the one that had power coming in, should be where power comes from for another circuit; otherwise, you need another hot conductor that is not switched, for a feed through wire leaving the second box. Good luck, please wear leather gloves and use a voltage meter. The ground wires are the most important wires in any circuit. Please make certain each switch and metal box are attached to your ground wiring, and please make certain that your neutrals and grounds are kept separate. Remember, the only place these touch is in the main disconnect panel where the ground rod and pipe grounds are attached to your service.

Answer 4

Hi, First go to your box that has the home run power coming into it and have the black or red wire from your power coming in and attach it to your common on your 3-way switch. Wire nut your neutrals together in that same 3-way switch box and your grounds. In that same box where that power is coming in you should have one red and one black wire left that represens your two travelers going to your next switch. Put the red to the top of your 3-way switch and the black to the bottom of your 3-way switch. Now you should be done with that box. Next, go to your other 3-way box, attach the red wire to the top of your 3-way switch and the black to the bottom of your 3-way switch and in that box, wire nut your neutrals together and then your grounds together. The black or red wire coming from your light, which is your switch leg, should be made up to your other common on your 3-way switch. You should be able to resolve your problem following this guideline. Good Luck!!!