3 way wiring question, help please!

4 years ago

Hi all, I'm stuck and would really appreciate some help. I am not an electrician and I'm sure everyone reading this who is an electrician will think I'm a moron. Anyways, here's the situation. I decided to add some island lights where none existed previously. I installed fixtures, then installed a switch on each side of the kitchen. Previously I had a 1 switch box and a 2 switch box on either side. So now I have a box with 2 switches and another box with 3 switches (not sure if knowing that matters).

I then ran wire from one switch, to 1 first light, then the second, then the third, then to the second switch. As you can see from my illustrations, I have power coming into each of the boxes, and I wired them as shown in the diagram, but I'll explain it more here:

From each power source, i connected the black wire to the switch, then I connected the white wire to the white wire coming from the light fixtures. I have the red wire going directly from one switch to the other switch.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM (as you probably know, but i can't figure out how to fix it): The lights turn on when I turn the switch on, and they turn off, if i use the same switch to turn them off. BUT, if I use the other switch to try to turn them off, it doesn't work.

Either switch will turn the lights on, but that same switch has to be used to turn the lights off.

I would really appreciate any and all help to get this fixed. Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

wdccruise

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

This is not correct. Click on the diagram below (ground is yellow).

Only one 3-way switch is connected to power.
The lights are connected to only one switch.
All lights must be grounded.

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Comments (10)

Dave
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
That will ever work. Not sure where you came up that wiring method.

You need power feeding ONE (not both) of the switches via 12/2. From that same switch youll run 12/3 to the other switch. out of the other switch run 12/2 daisy chaned to each light.

They need to get terminated in the same order on each switch.

Prime example of why you need to hire an electrcian if you dont know what youre doing.
Landon Lane
Original Author
4 years ago
Thank you so much! I have no idea what any of that means, but thank you! like i said, im not electrician, but thanks for letting me know i need one. i was hoping to come here to get guidance, not a tongue lashing.
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Landon Lane
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Very helpful. thank you!
Dave
4 years ago
”i dont know what any of that means.” yeah, again, call an electrician next time.
wdccruise
4 years ago
@Dave: "call an electrician next time"

Or maybe ask for help and learn how to do something so he won't need an electrician.
Dave
4 years ago
Yes, but ask for that help first. i cant imagine trying to do this and just winging it like that with nothing to go by.
Landon Lane
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks, i appreciate all the help! originally, i only wanted 1 switch, so it was working fine until i added the second switch (which i know i messed up on). all is working well now. thanks for the diagram. just trying to save money right now, otherwise i wouldve hired an electrician. my neighbor is an old retired industrial electrician. i went to him twice trying to figure this out but he just confused me even more
wdccruise
4 years ago
It ain't rocket science. BTW "12/2" refers electrical cable with two conductors (plus ground) inside while "12/3" refers to electrical cable with three conductors. There's educate and obfuscate.
Landon Lane
Original Author
4 years ago
Really appreciate all the help, this will make the next project a piece of cake!