Over the years different electrical practices have been used for wiring three way switches with romex. A lot depends on where the power is coming to first and then the locations of the ligtht fixture or fixtures and where the switch boxes. There is not a hard and correct rule on which color going where. The important part is the odd or identified terminal on each switch. Technically it is the common terminal of a single pole double throw switch. Different manufactures over the years have located it on different positions on the switch. Sighted help needed unless you have a continuity or ohm meter to find it that way. When I taught this concept to junior high shop kids I instructed them to think of the two three way switches as one big single pole switch. Wire the light up using just the two identified terminals like the two terminals on a regular single pole light switch. Once those connections are made the traverlers or runners are just connect to each other from switch to switch. It doesn't matter which side to which side as long as you have a two parallel wires between the two switches. Done in conduit the two travelers would usually be red and the identified black. Although I have saw two blues used as runners. Anyway to your problem. If your system has the bare grounding or green wire you can figure it out if you have a talking voltmeter or a testlight to show voltage and if you have enough sight or someone who can run the test instrument. If you hacve the above remove the switch you installed previously. I mean totally remove it from the box and have three loose wires and the equipmwnt wire acccessable. Hook one end of the voltage tester to the equipment ground. Touch the other end one at a time to the three wires. One will be hot. Remember which one. Flip the other switch to the opposite position. Is the same wire still hot. If yes hook this wire to the identified terminal. It is the source or feed wire. and the other two to the remaining terminals, it doesn't matter which to which. If a different wire gbecomes hot then the two that became hot are both traverlers. These two hot sometimes wires will go to the traverler terminals. Again it doesn't mater which to which. The wire that did not become hot is hooked to the identified or common terminal. That wire goes to the light. Notice I did not once mention color. This will also work with a knob and tube system except you have to bring in a equipment ground wire using a extension cord or some other way.
If this doesn't make sense to y ou and you would like to set up a phone conversation while you are in the process of doing this exmail me off list with phone info and i will call you to set up something. email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ron ----- Original Message ----- From: Timothy Ford To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 12:19 PM 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 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
