how do I wire a second light into a 3 way wall switch?

Question

I have a standard 1 light, 2 switch set up. I want to wire in a second light to the circuit. I have 14-2 wire run from the second light to the switch, and have tried a couple different ways of wiring it in, but the second light will not turn on. I have a white, a black, and a red carrier wire. How do I add a white, and a black wire into the back of my 3 way switch???

Unfortunately, I cannot easily access the first light to piggyback into. Is it possible to get power from the switch?

Answer 1

Perhaps it would help you to see how the circuit is wired. Refer to figure 2 on this web site:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=three-way.htm&url=http://www.act-solutions.com/kingery06.htm
Notice that the switch closest to the light contains everything you need to connect to another light. If you can get to this switch box connect the white wire from your light to the white wires in the box. Connect the black wire from your light to the common terminal of the switch (or to a wire nut that goes to that terminal). Unfortunately if your circuit is wired like the one in the figure, the switch fartherest from the light does not contain the required elements to supply another light.

Answer 2

Put all the wires back on the switch the way they were when you started. Simply run the wires from the new light over to the original light and piggy back the connections.

Answer 3

Make the job easy for yourself. Wire the 2nd light to the 1st light. When the 1st light is on, the 2nd light will be on. Leave the switches be.

Answer 4

The easiest and surest way would be to wire the 2nd light to the first light, instead of wiring it to the switch.

Answer 5

unfortunately the best way is to trace back to junction box and tie in to that box .Depending on how many switches are on that line! You can splice into that line if theres space in back of the three switch then remember your power wire(black ) goes to the brass on switch.

Answer 6

You'll need the second light in parallel to the first one!