Figuring out three way switch

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Ok. Previous owner changed out switches to a newer style 3 way switch, it's a rocker switch with a little glowing orange light. Don't know if it glows when on or off, i'm guessing off. Of course they installed them wrong. One switch at the top of the stairs, the other at the bottom. Turns the light on at the landing of the stairs. The switch at the top currently controls the light, if you play with the bottom switch it kills the light as well as the upper switch. So it's useless. I'm not uncomfortable working with electricity but my question is, how do i run a continuity test the simplest way from the top to the bottom to figure out travelers and common, etc. Obviously ground is ground, but i know with the travelers reversed it won't in a 3 way circuit, or am i wrong? I would like to label all the wires to make future changes easier. So, how do i differentiate between all the wires and the travelers go to what screws?

 

[Rookie2]

easier to just google the wiring.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=3+way+switch+wiring&pc=MOZI&form=MOZSBR

 

[justsam]

Reversing the travelers will have no impact except on physical switch position.

At one location you should have a black wire that is always hot on the common terminal of the switch.

At the other location you should have the wire that goes to the light fixture on the common terminal.

The glow type rocker is to assist finding the switch in the dark, and should be ON when the light fixture is off.

There are other ways to wire a 3 way and best to look at some of the ways shown on internet, but the way described above is a starting point and most common.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Yes, but how do i find out where all the wires go? To light, etc. I know common (black) to black screw. Bare copper to green screw (ground). Red is a traveler as well as the other black, and neutral is spliced together. I've seen the wires, but i know something is backwards and i'm guessing its the two black wires. I'm just trying to troubleshoot the wiring that got all switched around. Same thing in the kitchen. How do i go about separating and labeling them? If i were to just take the switch out and i have wires everywhere lol. I do know the downstairs switch has two romex cables going into it, i'm not sure about the top one. I've never really done a lot of wire troubleshooting (3 way switches while they don't confuse me in operation, wires in a wall i can't see are the confusing part). I'm a 12v guy! So i guess in the automotive sense i'm a parts replacer in the residential world. But I do pick up concepts so don't dumb it down for me totally. I follow.

 

[cybrdyke]

Go wireless.
Change one switch to something like a Lutron Maestro wireless or Caseta wireless and the other to a wireless companion switch.
www.casetawireless.com
Good luck
CD

 

[Mustang51js]

Take a pocture of each box or tell me how many wires are in each one, if you have a 2 wire and a 3 wire in each box,the black from each 2 wire will go tomthe odd color screw on the switch. Whites should all be tucked in back and not be messed with,then you will have a black and red left over in each box,those are the travelers

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Take a pocture of each box or tell me how many wires are in each one, if you have a 2 wire and a 3 wire in each box,the black from each 2 wire will go tomthe odd color screw on the switch. Whites should all be tucked in back and not be messed with,then you will have a black and red left over in each box,those are the travelers

You're awesome, thanks

 

[Mickey O]

Grounded? Easiest way to do it (assuming you have a meter) is to disconnect both switches, get yourself a long piece of wire that will reach from one switch to the other externally. Make sure none of the wires are touching each other or the box, etc. Turn the power on and see which wire is hot and which is neutral (if there is a neutral for the switch light), mark the wire(s) with wire markers or colored tape, etc. Write the numbers or colors, etc. on a piece of paper to keep track. Figure out which wire(s) go to the light fixture from the switch box(es), mark them. Then with the power off attach the long piece of wire to each wire individually at one box and use the meter at the other box to check continuity and mark the each wire at both ends with the same number / color etc. Make sure you have the correct number of wires for a three way. Check your switches. Once you have everything identified or marked you can find a diagram on the internet of how to wire a 3 way.

Yes, but how do i find out where all the wires go? To light, etc. I know common (black) to black screw. Bare copper to green screw (ground). Red is a traveler as well as the other black, and neutral is spliced together. I've seen the wires, but i know something is backwards and i'm guessing its the two black wires. I'm just trying to troubleshoot the wiring that got all switched around. Same thing in the kitchen. How do i go about separating and labeling them? If i were to just take the switch out and i have wires everywhere lol. I do know the downstairs switch has two romex cables going into it, i'm not sure about the top one. I've never really done a lot of wire troubleshooting (3 way switches while they don't confuse me in operation, wires in a wall i can't see are the confusing part). I'm a 12v guy! So i guess in the automotive sense i'm a parts replacer in the residential world. But I do pick up concepts so don't dumb it down for me totally. I follow.

Don't rely on the color of the wires to identify them.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Will, figured it out! Didn't even need a meter. The hot and black travelers on both switches were backwards. I separated out both Romex bundles at the top and bottom of the stairs and the ones which were neutral, hot, ground I hooked up appropriately at each switch which then left the travelers. Much simpler than I've been thinking. Took both switches out in kitchen as well and realized two red and one neutral in one switch, a ground, neutral, hot and red in another. So one red in the first switch is hot. Went to other switch and realized the red traveler was never hooked up. Popped it in and presto. Thanks guys.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Some brands of the switches the travelers are on the same side of the switch, others brands they are on one end. Very easy to get them mixed up if you are not watching what you are doing. That's where the wiring diagram on the back of the switch package comes in handy. Three way are a lot of problems for a lot of DIY electricians.

 

[Mustang51js]

Yeah,ive heard amny times, i just put wires where they were on old switch. Which is good if screws are marked the same lol

 

[ard]

Some brands of the switches the travelers are on the same side of the switch, others brands they are on one end. Very easy to get them mixed up if you are not watching what you are doing. That's where the wiring diagram on the back of the switch package comes in handy. Three way are a lot of problems for a lot of DIY electricians.

IMO this is the root cause of many "DIY my 3 way doesnt work" situations: someone replaces one switch wioth a new one, and the position of the lugs changes with the new device. They fail to understand the function of each wire when they take the old switch off, and are consequenty lost going forward.

 

[dogdog]

It's pretty easy to figure out which is which ...
just make use of your multimeter. OHM/or continunity and Volt. Cheap multimeter would do fine, just something that have VOM setting...

common screw usually is live 120V on it or it goes to the lights on the hot side of the light. the screw terminal are usually black or darker brass color.

The other two shinny terminal are usually lighter in color, traveler wires, it doesn't matter how it is connected. it's just connected to the other 3 way switche's traveler screw terminal....



To test the switch and see which one is common which one is a traveler....if the screws on it are all misplaced.


just mark your wires, take out the switch, use continuity or Ohm setting...

The two traveler always would show no continuity or will show infinity ohm no matter what position the switch is in. you'll have to flip the switch around and make sure you eliminated the common to traveler terminal.

The Common terminal would connect to one of the traveler terminal when the switch is in one position, and connects to the other traveler terminal when it is on another position.... It's really just a SPDT (single pole double throw) switch.

I have used VOM / extension cord and a socket to 110v adapter to help me identify my mysterious wires.... with electricity shut off of cause... (use common sense safety goes a long way)