I have one light in the ceiling that works with 2 wall switches.?

Question

The one wall switch has to be on for the other to work and that is a pain in the butt. I want both switches to work no matter the postition of the other switch.

Answer 1

The three way switches are wired incorrectly. You need to wire them correctly to fix the problem. Check here for instructions or call an electrician.

http://www.handymanusa.com/articles/3wayswitch.html

Answer 2

You would have to tell me how many and what color wires are in the switch boxes. And, I am assuming we are speaking of wiring as done in America, not the UK.

By removing the cover plates, you can look at the sides of the switches to see how many wires are connected to each one.

If each switch has only two terminals, you need to get an electrician to get into the problem a little deeper.

If both switches have three terminals and the switch themselves do not say "on - off", then it is a simple problem of one of the switches being wired wrong. In that case, and you want to try to solve the problem yourself, turn off the power, take both switches out of the switch boxes but leave the wires connected for now.

Look at the terminals on each switch. There should be one terminal that is darker than the other two, usually black or brass. They are the hot terminals and a black wire should be connected to them. The other two light colored terminals, usually brass colored or silver colored are what is called "travelers" and one should be a white wire and the other a red wire. Do not touch any other connections in the boxes!

If the connections to the switches are not as I stated, change them so they do.

Properly wired 3 way switches will have a black wire on the dark terminal and a red and white wire on the two other terminals and it doesn't matter if the red and white are reversed.

If that does not work, put them back the way they were and call a qualified electrician.

Steven, I beg your pardon but you are not helping the issue. You are telling of a commercial wiring system which is not the same as simple home wiring. To operate the lights as you stated, each single pole on off switch operates a relay which takes the place of multiple switches from various locations.
Besides, it is more common for office lights to stay on during working hours and normally turned off by the controlling circuit breaker.

Answer 3

No offense to BK,,,and I'm not an "Electrician" but that configuration is not at all unique.

Often two switches are installed in an area where one might not want to cross that area to turn OFF a light, where there are multiple ingress and egress points. I deal with it every day in commercial buildings especially. What I find, might be a clue I'd like to understand. At one end of a 100 ft. hallway is a light switch that fires up 40 florescent fixtures. I might FLIP it to the "ON"/ "UP" position and "Voila", the lights are lit. At the other end of the hall; if I walk that far, the switch that also controls the function might be in the OPPOSITE position; and by FLIPPING it; the lights turn off.

Again with no offense to BK I'm not certain a 3 way is the way? I've replaced the switches in my one example and found them not only defined OFF/ON, but to be simple switches.

I hope you get many valid answers.

Steven Wolf

Answer 4

You are dealing with incorrectly wired 3 way switches.

DIY Doc was probably dealing with a relay system,
(common in commercial work, almost never found in residences).

Look for previous answers on 3 Way switches in this
forum.
(Saw some yesterday. Did one myself.)

Answer 5

someone most likely put in the wwrong type of switch, you have single pole switches and you need 3 way switches, or you have 3 way switches and they are wired rong.
I'm an electrician.

Answer 6

Wrong Steve.......BK's right