3 Way wiring with a single pole switch?

[homersapian]

I replaced a fan at my parent's house last weekend, and discovered something interesting...

The setup: Power comes to the fixture box in the ceiling, and then there are two 12/2 wires leaving that each go to a switch.

They wanted permanent power wired to the fan part so that it's only controlled by the pull chain. Done!

Now here's the confusing part. They wanted the light wired the same as the old fixture where there are 2 different switches that can control it. I could get one switch or the other to control it, but not both at the same time, so I took the switch faceplates off and pulled out the switches to take a look. One was a 3 way switch, and the other was a plain single pole?

Do any of you know how it was wired before to make this setup function?

The only fix I can think of is to replace the single pole switch with a standard 3 way, and wire it as such.

 

[volleyball]

It wasn't a real 3 way. They just knew what switch had to be where for it to work.

 

[n8n]

^this. But I assume you meant 12/3 or 14/3 because my brain can't figure out how to make it work with 2 wire cable. If you have to repull you'll need to actually use 4 wire cable unless you don't need to comply w/ current code, which means you'll probably need to use deep boxes.

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[wyliesdiesels]

Couldnt have been a 3-way without a single pole double throw 3-way switch...

 

[Rookie2]

Only solution is to rewire or install a remote control.

 

[Wirepuller]

Carter system.

 

[n8n]

Carter system.

OP said '12/2 wire' which I assume actually means cable... otherwise, if this really is Carter/K&T time to rip it out and do it with modern Romex! (Or AC if your local codes prohibit Romex...)

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[Wirepuller]

I've found it multiple times on older homes around Boston. I just wired a large addition in Lexington and the second floor wiring on the original wing of the house I figured was wired some where in the 20's. the first was updated and the carter system was in place wired in bx much later. I can't figure why but maybe this is the case.

Op. take a multimeter and see of the screwshell is grounded.