Wiring advice

[peejman]

Most likely, the white is the power, and the two blacks are the travelers. Put the white wire on the bottom screw on the other side of the switch, it should be black screw. Then see if it works, if one switch works and the other doesn't, just swap the black wires and it will work.


I used to be a residential electrician.

 

 

Ok so I switched the wires (pictures attached) and still the same thing, if the light is turned off at the top of the stairs then the switch at the bottom of the stairs does not work

 

 

 

Per nightrunner's reply... you've got the white wire in the wrong place, it should be connected where the black screw is.  Swap the white and black wires in this pic so the white wire is at the terminal with the black screw. 

Edited September 24, 2014 by peejman

[ironsniper1]

Per nightrunner's reply... you've got the white wire in the wrong place, it should be connected where the black screw is. Swap the white and black wires in this pic so the white wire is at the terminal with the black screw.

thats how I had it when I first replaced it and when it's like that neither switch works

[McGarrett]

I was wanting you to leave the white wire alone and swap the position of the black wires. Let me know what it does then.

[ironsniper1]

I was wanting you to leave the white wire alone and swap the position of the black wires. Let me know what it does then.

nope same thing

[peejman]

Something is hosed here....   I'd disconnect both switches and use the voltmeter to first determine which wire is the incoming hot wire.  If you've got a length of any sort of wire that will reach from one switch to the other, you can use the continuity feature in the voltmeter to find the ends of the same wire (breaker off!).  Once you know which wire is which, wire it up just like the diagram. 

 

Edited September 24, 2014 by peejman

[RED333]

3 way and 4 way switches will make you cuss if you get it wrong, dont ask how I know.

[jimic]

I believe if he understood the drawing he would not have a problem !

[ironsniper1]

Something is hosed here....   I'd disconnect both switches and use the voltmeter to first determine which wire is the incoming hot wire.  If you've got a length of any sort of wire that will reach from one switch to the other, you can use the continuity feature in the voltmeter to find the ends of the same wire (breaker off!).  Once you know which wire is which, wire it up just like the diagram. 

 

i dont have any wire long enough to do that but i will take some pictures of the other switch if that may help

 

I believe if he understood the drawing he would not have a problem !

i do understand and i understand what everyone else here is saying, but no matter which way i am asked to try, the switch just wont work right, this house is really old and from the switch it looks like it used to turn something else on and off

[nightrunner]

3 way and 4 way switches will make you cuss if you get it wrong, dont ask how I know.

Yep, especially when you didn't wire it up yourself to begin with

[peejman]

Step 1 is to figure out which is the hot wire, there should be only one wire in one box that's hot with everything disconnected.  My guess is that we're working with the wrong box. 

 

It might be worth running to walmart and getting a 50ft spool of insulated wire (speaker wire, whatever) to help figure out which wire is which... should be less than $10. 

 

 

And as for 3 and 4-way switches making you cuss.... yes, yes they do.  I'm pretty sure the plumber wired my house. 

[ironsniper1]

Ok here's the pictures from the switch at the bottom of the stairs, it has one yellow wire one red wire and one black wire, there is a red and white wire wrapped in black tape behind the switch upstairs

Edited September 24, 2014 by luke9511

[nightrunner]

Ok, that helps.

The power/switch leg is made up in the light. There are about ten different ways to wire up a 3way switch.

In the original switch box, the one with two set of cloth wrapped wires, one set has a black and white, the other has a red, black and white. The red and the white from the other set are tied together. Take the black one from the two wire set and put it on the black screw. Put the white one on the screw on the same side of the switch and the other black one on the other side. That should work if its wired up how I think it is

[ironsniper1]

Ok, that helps.

The power/switch leg is made up in the light. There are about ten different ways to wire up a 3way switch.

In the original switch box, the one with two set of cloth wrapped wires, one set has a black and white, the other has a red, black and white. The red and the white from the other set are tied together. Take the black one from the two wire set and put it on the black screw. Put the white one on the screw on the same side of the switch and the other black one on the other side. That should work if its wired up how I think it is

i have tried that way and it still gives issues

[nightrunner]

What sort of issues?

[ironsniper1]

What sort of issues?

when one switch is off the other switch does not work at all

[nightrunner]

when one switch is off the other switch does not work at all

Just swap the two wires on the gold screws and that should fix it

[ironsniper1]

Just swap the two wires on the gold screws and that should fix it

have tried that aswell, i have switched the wires every way i can think of and still no dice

[R_Bert]

Move.  You need a new house.  Your old one is broken.

[ironsniper1]

Move.  You need a new house.  Your old one is broken.

that is why i am replacing light switches

[R_Bert]

that is why i am replacing light switches

BTW,  I have been watching this with interest.

 

I have two 3-way boxes open myself.  Replacing some old X-10 controllers with standard switches (had a lightning hit over the summer).  I wired the house myself (~20 years ago), and cannot remember which layout I used.  I'll pull the covers off of another set and go from there. 

[nightrunner]

With the power off, take apart the red and white wire in the back of the box and make a new connection with a wire nut and use a pair of pliers to twist the wires together securely to make sure they stay connected. Its possible that has a bad connection.

Are you changing all this with the power on or off?

[nightrunner]

Do you have a multimeter?

[ironsniper1]

With the power off, take apart the red and white wire in the back of the box and make a new connection with a wire nut and use a pair of pliers to twist the wires together securely to make sure they stay connected. Its possible that has a bad connection.

Are you changing all this with the power on or off?

power off and the two wires look to be soldered together

 

Do you have a multimeter?

yes i do

[Omega]

have tried that aswell, i have switched the wires every way i can think of and still no dice

You need to id the wires. You have one hot wire, usually a black wire, another is neutral, usually a white wire, and a jumper, or runner which should be a third color, usually red but I think in your case its black too. Disconnect all three wires, tape them so that the exposed wires dont touch but you can touch the volt meter to the exposed wires. Put the volt meter to test AC of at least 120v, 220 better. While wires are hot, touch one lead to the white wire and alternate touching the other lead to the black wires until you get a reading on each. Only one should be hot if both hot or dead, flip the other switch and test again. Once you identify what wire is what, use the link I provided to hook them up.

[nightrunner]

You need to id the wires. You have one hot wire, usually a black wire, another is neutral, usually a white wire, and a jumper, or runner which should be a third color, usually red but I think in your case its black too. Disconnect all three wires, tape them so that the exposed wires dont touch but you can touch the volt meter to the exposed wires. Put the volt meter to test AC of at least 120v, 220 better. While wires are hot, touch one lead to the white wire and alternate touching the other lead to the black wires until you get a reading on each. Only one should be hot if both hot or dead, flip the other switch and test again. Once you identify what wire is what, use the link I provided to hook them up.

The white wire is NOT a neutral in this case. Neutrals are made up in the light and they stop there and dont come down into the switch. You dont need a neutral for a switch to work.

You have a power/switch leg, which one depends on how the light is made up. And two travellers working back and forth for the two switches.


Unhook all wires from both switches and there should be only one with power on it. We can go from there

Edit: when testing for power, put the black lead from the meter on the ground wire or bare copper wire and the red lead on the wire you are testing Edited September 25, 2014 by nightrunner