Here you go Tim, Dale sent this to the list some time back and I kept it since I have a few of these type switches in my home. 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! Groups Links Individual Email | Traditional http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
----- Original Message ----- From: "Timothy Ford" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 10:19 AM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Three way House Electrical Circuits > HI All, > > I have a project to figure out why one of our three way house electrical > circuits does not work right. The lights come on, but you have to keep > one > of the switches in the same position, and use the other switch for the > on/off. > > It has been this way for awhile, and goes back to when I replaced one of > the > switches on that circuit. I apparently got the wires wrong, and I want to > know how to put it back the way it should be. > > If there is something in the list file archives on three way house > circuits, > please let me know, and hopefully include a short reminder on how to > access > those files. A basic explanation of house wiring would also be handy, > since > I am also vague on the basic principles, that black and white wire thing > is > something that I learn, then forget since it comes up so seldom. > > Sincerely, > Tim Ford > > > ------------------------------------ > > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=33&MMN_position=47:29 > 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 > > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various > List Members At The Following address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ > > Visit the archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following > address for more information: > http://www.jaws-users.com/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] Groups Links > > > >
