Hi, Guest
05-24-2010, 07:38 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-24-2010, 08:37 AM by OAC_Sparky.)
Do both switches turn the light on and off?
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To answer your question -- it depends....
There is more than one way to wire a 3 way switch, and depending on the configuration it is changes what wires you use.
For example, if the power source is straight to the box and the light source is powered from the same utility box (ie. one switch box has 3 separate wires (cables) to it (14-2, 14-2, 14-3) and the other has one (14-3) the runners would be red and white.
If the power is coming from the light fixture box itself (one box has 14-2, 14-3 and the other one 14-3), then the runners are white and red. What is weird is that the power is coming in on the white wire of the 14-2 and goes to the common screw terminal. Ot leaves on the black wire back up to the fixture.
BUT, if the circuit is powered at one end and the other end goes to the light (both switch boxes have two wires, a 14-2 and a 14-3) then the runners are black and red(!) because the white is actually the common.
So, to start, do both switches turn on and off the light?
________________________________________
To answer your question -- it depends....
There is more than one way to wire a 3 way switch, and depending on the configuration it is changes what wires you use.
For example, if the power source is straight to the box and the light source is powered from the same utility box (ie. one switch box has 3 separate wires (cables) to it (14-2, 14-2, 14-3) and the other has one (14-3) the runners would be red and white.
If the power is coming from the light fixture box itself (one box has 14-2, 14-3 and the other one 14-3), then the runners are white and red. What is weird is that the power is coming in on the white wire of the 14-2 and goes to the common screw terminal. Ot leaves on the black wire back up to the fixture.
BUT, if the circuit is powered at one end and the other end goes to the light (both switch boxes have two wires, a 14-2 and a 14-3) then the runners are black and red(!) because the white is actually the common.
So, to start, do both switches turn on and off the light?
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