Has anyone installed a PD-6WCL and Pico as a 3 way when the circuit has the HOT Line going to the light fixture first? I am trying to and followed the 3 way advanced directions but can't seem to get the switch to light up.
Has anyone installed a PD-6WCL and Pico as a 3 way when the circuit has the HOT Line going to the light fixture first? I am trying to and followed the 3 way advanced directions but can't seem to get the switch to light up.
That's a unique configuration. You may have 2 switches in parallel. If you do have 2 3-ways it doesn't matter where the power comes from. Just follow the instructions based on how the wires are attached to the existing switches.Quote:
Originally Posted by superdeleted
If I have another 3 way it is unknown to me. I did however find a junction box in the attic that is right before it gets to the light fixture which seems to have 2 input cables and 3 out going cables. I haven't dug out the cables but it looks like they are all spliced together. I took pictures but the manage attachment option below doesn't work for me. Will have to read up on the BB code to get them added. If there is a parallel 3 way can it be possible it doesn't have any controls on it? When I bought this house I did my best making a circuit map and the odd thing I came across which I didn't understand is that the lights for the game room and the upstairs bathroom were on two different circuits at the same time. One of those two this 3 way is on.Quote:
Originally Posted by randyc
In older homes they ran power to the light first. They ran a cable down to the switch and used 1 conductor to send power to the switch and the other to send it back up to the light. If so, just treat it like a single-location. You won't have a neutral but the 6CL doesn't need one.
It's possible some renovations got wires crossed. As long as they are on the same phase nothing will trip.
So you're saying just install like it was a standard single switch? That is what I came to today as what I was going to try next but with the dimmer switch at the first switch location from light instead of the second.[lb][lb]This is essentially what I have come up with for this circuit from tracing it out (below). The main difference being that power is being spliced at a j-box a few feet before it gets to the light instead of inside the light fixture. This is why I see only the 1 romex inside the fixture. I found a jbox in my attic that has 2 romex entering and 3 leaving. I think 1 of them is for the light and being tapped into sending a second to the 1st switch. Then there is a 3 wire romex going between switches. Where that other romex goes from the jbox I am still unsure but I know that directly behind the switch is the bathroom 2 gang which has a switch and a fan connected. However when I was in that box I saw 3 cables in it. Not sure if any of it is related but I do know that power goes off to the bathroom when turning that circuit off.[/lb][/lb][lb][lb]http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com...via-light1.jpg[/lb][/lb][lb][lb]The manage attachments button doesn't seem to work for me or I would add pictures of the switch/light/jbox locations.[/lb][/lb]Quote:
Originally Posted by randyc
I am going to give this a shot today but another thing I noticed is that when switch 1 is on and switch 2 is off (or vise versa) NEITHER switch has a HOT LINE. Is that normal? I would think there would still be a HOT LINE going to the switch but the switch just breaking the circuit. What is also is something I am going to have to think through is that when in the NO HOT state and you flip switch 1 both messengers and the common on switch 2 become HOT (All 3 wires) while if while in the NO HOT state flip switch 2 only 1 messenger becomes HOT on Switch 1 and 2.
A 3-way is basically an A/B switch. Power comes in on the common terminal at one end, connects to traveler A or B. At the other end, power comes in on traveler A or B and goes up to the light. As long as both lights are connected to A or B, the light will be on.
One of the two travelers should be hot. Flipping one of the switches will make the other traveler hot.
I am going to go for it trying your directions on that other post. I believe my setup is closest to that link I shared but the difference is that at switch 1 I dont have the black to black separated off the switch. They are connected to the messenger. Now if that is just being a conductor like the wire nut I am the same except for a jbox that was found before it hits the light fixture. Switch 1 is like this: 1st Messenger: two black wires 2nd Messenger White and Red wires and Common has White. The Common(White), the Red and 1 of the blacks goes to Switch 2. The other black and white go to jbox which goes to the light fixture. Also to reply to "One of the two travelers should be hot. Flipping one of the switches will make the other traveler hot." - is there a scenario where one wouldn't? I doubt my tool is wrong and I have checked all 4 possibilities multiple times and everytime I have them opposite I cant find a HOT at them. The light is on everytime at that point as well.