[Soviet Hawk]

So helping a friend out with some electrical and his hallway 3-way switch is also tied into his living room 3 way. I am a new electrician so this would be my first time running into this problem but I didn't think you should/could tie two 3-way together. Looking for advice on maybe what to test or how this should be done. Below is a picture of the switch that is supposed to control both 3-way circuits.

*Please note I didn't do any wiring yet, I took off the cover and this is what I found*

Incase my images don't work properly

http://imgur.com/zSsGTmN
http://imgur.com/fYX6aHY

 

[FrunkSlammer]

Oh this is going to be a good one!

I'm going to pop some popcorn.

 

[Soviet Hawk]

Bring me some advil?

 

[Soviet Hawk]

The only thing I can think of is if I tried tracing the wire and splice it in if it's not connected. I don't know if that's to code though or the chances of it starting a fire.

 

[Mich drew]

First I would figure out why a white wire instead of the bare grounds in the box is tied to the ground screw. Maybe the homeowner who wired it thought it was a 4 way.

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

Lol

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[480sparky]

 

[Legacyelectric]

Looks like a BRAND new 3way I there to me.

 

[Legacyelectric]

No way were going to figure this out without being there with a meter I don't think. Looks like you've got a hot landed under a traveler screw on the device though. And that 3 way has never been screwed into that box.

 

[tesco]

What's the problem? What isn't working?

Take that white off the switch and bond it properly.

edit: Missed the traveller being on the common screw.

 

[Legacyelectric]

And, your black traveler is wrapped the wrong way under the screw.

 

[480sparky]

So helping a friend out with some electrical and his hallway 3-way switch is also tied into his living room 3 way. I am a new electrician so this would be my first time running into this problem but I didn't think you should/could tie two 3-way together. Looking for advice on maybe what to test or how this should be done. Below is a picture of the switch that is supposed to control both 3-way circuits.

*Please note I didn't do any wiring yet, I took off the cover and this is what I found*...........

Silly me, but I always install pairs of 3-ways tied to each other. That's the entire reason they exist.... to be tied to each other in pairs.

Looks like someone who doesn't understand how 3-ways work tried to install new switches, totally screwed it up, and now is asking a friend to bail him out.

 

[sammt]

Also looks to me like the power is accidentally on a traveller screw. the power is supposed to be on the black screw. If you are patient you could look up online the several ways 3ways can be wired. The whites need to be wire nutted together and not connected to the switch and then swap the blacks around so you have power on the common. might burn up the fixture though if that isn't correct wiring.

 

[Legacyelectric]

Id bet money the black and red in the 3 wire are the travelers. The white in the three wire may have been sending a switch leg to the other 3way switch, or it's a neutral. I'd bust it all out and put a meter on it to see what's what. No telling what's been swapped around.

 

[sammt]

and ground the switch properly

 

[AllWIRES]

Oh this is going to be a good one!

I'm going to pop some popcorn.

:thumbup:

 

[FrunkSlammer]

 

[AllWIRES]

I just laughed out loud. :laughing:

 

[wendon]

Nice job of wrapping the bootleg stranded ground under the screw though!
Conductor fill might be a concern too.

 

[Wirenuting]

Boot leg ground?


Who's the communist "s&/t" twinkle toed "male chicken" suker who sighed his own death warrant? Nobody huh,, the fairy "gosh darn" godmother did it. Out "friggin" standing, I will PT you all until you die. I'll PT you until your "out end" is sukin butter milk.


edit, please pass the pop corn.