oh, the extra wire to the light makes the difference. that and the fact that a switch will not be in the on position without the light being on. Wow.
On Sun, 10 Dec 2006, Dale Leavens wrote: > Simplest way to think of this Scott is that the red is the common or > traveler I think you are referring to it. > > There are three terminals on the switches, two on one side. the black and > white go onto the terminals on the same side, the red joins the third > terminal, the one on the other side from one switch to the other. > > Usually then, power comes to the light box. There will be three blacks, the > power in and one each from each of the three conductor cables down to the > switches. there will also be three whites and two reds and of course the > three grounds. Tie the grounds together and ground to the box. Tie the two > reds with wire nuts or marz connectors to get them out of the way. Remember > they are a common conductor joining those odd terminals together. > > Now wire the rest in the usual way. > > You take the three blacks and tie them together to bring power down to the > switches. The two whites of the three conductor you connect together with a > short pigtail and connect the pigtail to the fixture, it becomes the hot > when the power is flowing. The remaining white from the two conductor line > bringing power to the box is connected to the other side of the fixture and > that is done. > > When you flip a three-way switch you can think of it connecting the bottom > terminal to one or other of the two top terminals of the switch. In one > position it closes the switch in the usual way allowing power to flow from > the fixture above through the switch and back to the fixture. in the other > position it breaks that connection but makes one to the red common conductor > which sends power to the other switch. When that switch is moved, power is > shunted from the common red through the switch and on to the fixture until > you go to the first switch and flip it which now disconnects the common red > from running through that switch and turns the light off again and so on. > > Actually I think most places now want you to pigtail both sides in the light > box to the fixture. > > I hope I explained this clearly enough, it is always confusing. > > Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Skype DaleLeavens > Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Scott Howell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 7:25 PM > Subject: [BlindHandyMan] hello and 3-way switches > > >> Hello all, >> >> My name as the e-mail header indicates is Scott Howell. I live in >> Mount AIry Maryland and have been blind since birth. I have learned a >> lot of my handyman activities just by figuring out things on my own >> and with a few questions. Can't say everything I've done was pretty, >> but I got the job done. I've done lots of plumbing, electrical, and >> some other repairs like hanging doors and the like. >> I however have a few projects of the electrical variety and one of >> those I have to admit I'm not overly sure of. >> I have a need to install a 3-way switch arrangement. What I have is a >> bathroom where the fools that built this place put the switch clear >> on the otherside of the room near a secondary door and not near the >> main door off the hall. >> So, my understanding is that I would remove the old switch, I'd need >> two 3-way switches, and 3 conductor cable with ground so that makes >> four wires total. Now what I'm not overly clear on is how to rig this >> up. I understand basic switches to a light fixture in that power >> comes into the switch and I'm essentually making a loop from the >> fixture back to the switch. Now, I do know a 3-way switch has one >> common terminal and two traveler terminals as well as a ground. Now I >> also understand that I need to rig things up so that when one switch >> is closed, the other is able to break the circuit. >> At this point I'm getting fuzzy and not clear how to physically wire >> this up. Here's what I think and please any advise would be >> greatfully appreciated. >> >> 1. The light fixture is still wired in a loop configuration like it >> would with a regular switch were there, I would hook the hot wire to >> the common terminal on the the switch, connect the black wire we'll >> call it, now I'd hook a white to the traveler, and maybe the other's >> red can't recall, but that would go to the other traveler, and at the >> other end of this I'd be hooking up the same wires, black to common, >> white to another traveler, and red to the other traveler. Of course >> ground to ground throughout. >> Now I'm probably wrong on this, but I figure someone here has done >> this and would have some answers and I'd sure appreciate the help. >> Now I've been listening to the Blind Handyman show and its just great >> and a valuable service. >> >> Thanks to all in advance. >> >> Scott >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >> >> >> >> To listen to the show archives go to link >> http://acbradio.org/handyman.html >> or >> ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ >> >> The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. >> http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday >> >> The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. >> http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml >> >> Visit the new archives page at the following address >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man >> list just send a blank message to: >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.15/581 - Release Date: 9/12/2006 >> >> > > To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! 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