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More wiring help - Halfathumb - 08-02-2021
I'm replacing toggle switches with rocker switches. 1 wall has a switch for the fan and 1 for the light that works with another switch. I replaced the fan switch with a single sw. They have 2 black wires going to this sw. That works fine with the new sw. I'm having trouble with the light sw. That has a white and 2 red wires. I was very careful replacing wire for wire but can't get the light to work as needed. Before changing the existing toggle on the 1 wall I want to get this working. The rocker sw turns the light on & off as long as the toggle is on. But can't get them working as desired. Please help
RE: More wiring help - fixtureman - 08-02-2021
Try swapping the 2 black wires on the toggle switch
RE: More wiring help - Halfathumb - 08-02-2021
(08-02-2021, 12:59 PM)fixtureman Wrote: Try swapping the 2 black wires on the toggle switch
Didn't work. The lights and fan are the same fixture if that makes a difference. The toggle has red, white black wires.
RE: More wiring help - joe1086 - 08-02-2021
Sure the light bulb is still good?
RE: More wiring help - Halfathumb - 08-02-2021
(08-02-2021, 01:54 PM)joe1086 Wrote: Sure the light bulb is still good?
The lights on now, except can't turn them off and on with alternating switches
RE: More wiring help - srv52761 - 08-02-2021
It sounds like that light switch is a 3-way switch.
It feels like all three wires are hot, one common and two travelers.
One screw on the 3-way rocker is probably a different color or has a "c".
If it was wired according to custom, the common wire (either the original power source or the wire that goes goes to the fixture) should be the black one and the white and red are the travelers..... but ...
The only thing of importance is getting the common wire on the common screw, the travelers are interchangeable. The diagram sheet that came with the switch will designate the common screw. Just try each wire in turn on the screw. Five minutes.
![[Image: leviton-3-way-switch-wiring-diagram-deco...24x529.jpg]](https://wiring-diagram.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/leviton-3-way-switch-wiring-diagram-decora-free-wiring-1-1024x529.jpg)
Leviton switch
RE: More wiring help - Halfathumb - 08-02-2021
(08-02-2021, 02:40 PM)srv52761 Wrote: It sounds like that light switch is a 3-way switch.House was built 1998, builder never saw an inspector. (FWIW) There are 3 wires into the box. 1 has a bk & a red wire. The bk goes to the fan sw & red to the Light sw. the middle wire has a wh going to the Light sw & bk going to the fan sw. The 3rd wire has a wh going to the light sw, a bk to the fan & wh to the light.
It feels like all three wires are hot, one common and two travelers.
One screw on the 3-way rocker is probably a different color or has a "c".
If it was wired according to custom, the common wire (either the original power source or the wire that goes goes to the fixture) should be the black one and the white and red are the travelers..... but ...
The only thing of importance is getting the common wire on the common screw, the travelers are interchangeable. The diagram sheet that came with the switch will designate the common screw. Just try each wire in turn on the screw. Five minutes.
Leviton switch
I've tried numerous combinations to the light sw and still can't get each sw to work independently. I'm at wits end.
RE: More wiring help - srv52761 - 08-02-2021
(08-02-2021, 04:23 PM)Halfathumb Wrote: House was built 1998, builder never saw an inspector. (FWIW) There are 3 wires into the box. 1 has a bk & a red wire. The bk goes to the fan sw & red to the Light sw. the middle wire has a wh going to the Light sw & bk going to the fan sw. The 3rd wire has a wh going to the light sw, a bk to the fan & wh to the light.
I've tried numerous combinations to the light sw and still can't get each sw to work independently. I'm at wits end.
Hmmmm.... Romex (nm-b) or conduit?
(for clarity we will ignore any grounded conductors)
I have never come across Romex in those configurations of 2 conductor cable with red and black only, usually it is just black/white, not black/red. I have never seen a cable with two whites. Conduit it is possible.
You have three conductors to the fan? Can it also be controlled by a different switch?
The light switch has four screws (ignoring g the ground screw)?
Can it be controlled by a third location?
There are seven colored conductors total?
I am guessing that third white is part of wire 1 and looks like it is not.
RE: More wiring help - Halfathumb - 08-03-2021
(08-02-2021, 07:50 PM)srv52761 Wrote: Hmmmm.... Romex (nm-b) or conduit?My mistake. Wire #1 has bk, red & white. The red goes directly to the light sw as does the red from #3. The black from #1 goes to the fan sw. White from #3 goes directly to the light sw the other 2 whites are connected together with a connector. Conductor meaning wires, there are 8 total. I missed the white on #1 previously.
(for clarity we will ignore any grounded conductors)
I have never come across Romex in those configurations of 2 conductor cable with red and black only, usually it is just black/white, not black/red. I have never seen a cable with two whites. Conduit it is possible.
You have three conductors to the fan? Can it also be controlled by a different switch?
The light switch has four screws (ignoring g the ground screw)?
Can it be controlled by a third location?
There are seven colored conductors total?
I am guessing that third white is part of wire 1 and looks like it is not.
RE: More wiring help - joe1086 - 08-03-2021
Do you have a meter?