Travelers on 3 way switch are hot
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Replacing 3 way switch (horizontal switch) 2 separate 3 ways in one box, each switch has its own power going to it. Top switch two travelers are hot common is not. it seems to work fine with the old switch attached, just curious as to why?
wiring
edited Nov 13 at 21:45
Daniel Griscom
4,50662236
asked Nov 13 at 18:17
John
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up vote
2
down vote
favorite
Replacing 3 way switch (horizontal switch) 2 separate 3 ways in one box, each switch has its own power going to it. Top switch two travelers are hot common is not. it seems to work fine with the old switch attached, just curious as to why?
wiring
edited Nov 13 at 21:45
Daniel Griscom
4,50662236
asked Nov 13 at 18:17
John
113
New contributor
John is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Can you post a pic?
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:23
Can you post pictures of the old & new switch? It could be as simple as "screws for hot vs. common flipped old vs. new". Simple usual guide is that 2 screws will be one color and one a different color (brass vs. silver) - the 2 that are the same get travelers and the other one gets common.
– manassehkatz
Nov 13 at 18:24
The common, white wire, shouldn't be hot unless it's being used as part of the switch leg, in which case, it should've been marked hot with black or red tape... There are 3 or 4 different ways to wire a 3 way circuit...
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:41
Yes I will ...Thanks!!
– John
Nov 13 at 18:49
2
@BillWeckel because OP's installation is in conduit. In that case you get to use two actual, same colors for the travelers. Although I do find conduit work where someone used red, white for the travelers and black for the third, same as if they were in Romex because they cribbed off an Internet how-to diagram... And that's illegal, can't remark white to be a hot in conduit, you're to use the right color wire in the first place. Legal hot colors are anything but white, gray (neutral) or green.
– Harper
Nov 13 at 20:51
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
Replacing 3 way switch (horizontal switch) 2 separate 3 ways in one box, each switch has its own power going to it. Top switch two travelers are hot common is not. it seems to work fine with the old switch attached, just curious as to why?
wiring
edited Nov 13 at 21:45
Daniel Griscom
4,50662236
asked Nov 13 at 18:17
John
113
New contributor
John is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Replacing 3 way switch (horizontal switch) 2 separate 3 ways in one box, each switch has its own power going to it. Top switch two travelers are hot common is not. it seems to work fine with the old switch attached, just curious as to why?
wiring
wiring
edited Nov 13 at 21:45
Daniel Griscom
4,50662236
asked Nov 13 at 18:17
John
113
New contributor
John is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Nov 13 at 21:45
Daniel Griscom
4,50662236
asked Nov 13 at 18:17
John
113
New contributor
John is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Nov 13 at 21:45
Daniel Griscom
4,50662236
edited Nov 13 at 21:45
Daniel Griscom
4,50662236
edited Nov 13 at 21:45
Daniel Griscom
4,50662236
4,50662236
asked Nov 13 at 18:17
John
113
New contributor
John is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Nov 13 at 18:17
John
113
asked Nov 13 at 18:17
John
113
113
New contributor
John is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
John is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
John is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Can you post a pic?
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:23
Can you post pictures of the old & new switch? It could be as simple as "screws for hot vs. common flipped old vs. new". Simple usual guide is that 2 screws will be one color and one a different color (brass vs. silver) - the 2 that are the same get travelers and the other one gets common.
– manassehkatz
Nov 13 at 18:24
The common, white wire, shouldn't be hot unless it's being used as part of the switch leg, in which case, it should've been marked hot with black or red tape... There are 3 or 4 different ways to wire a 3 way circuit...
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:41
Yes I will ...Thanks!!
– John
Nov 13 at 18:49
2
@BillWeckel because OP's installation is in conduit. In that case you get to use two actual, same colors for the travelers. Although I do find conduit work where someone used red, white for the travelers and black for the third, same as if they were in Romex because they cribbed off an Internet how-to diagram... And that's illegal, can't remark white to be a hot in conduit, you're to use the right color wire in the first place. Legal hot colors are anything but white, gray (neutral) or green.
– Harper
Nov 13 at 20:51
|
show 3 more comments
Can you post a pic?
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:23
Can you post pictures of the old & new switch? It could be as simple as "screws for hot vs. common flipped old vs. new". Simple usual guide is that 2 screws will be one color and one a different color (brass vs. silver) - the 2 that are the same get travelers and the other one gets common.
– manassehkatz
Nov 13 at 18:24
The common, white wire, shouldn't be hot unless it's being used as part of the switch leg, in which case, it should've been marked hot with black or red tape... There are 3 or 4 different ways to wire a 3 way circuit...
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:41
Yes I will ...Thanks!!
– John
Nov 13 at 18:49
2
@BillWeckel because OP's installation is in conduit. In that case you get to use two actual, same colors for the travelers. Although I do find conduit work where someone used red, white for the travelers and black for the third, same as if they were in Romex because they cribbed off an Internet how-to diagram... And that's illegal, can't remark white to be a hot in conduit, you're to use the right color wire in the first place. Legal hot colors are anything but white, gray (neutral) or green.
– Harper
Nov 13 at 20:51
Can you post a pic?
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:23
Can you post a pic?
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:23
Can you post pictures of the old & new switch? It could be as simple as "screws for hot vs. common flipped old vs. new". Simple usual guide is that 2 screws will be one color and one a different color (brass vs. silver) - the 2 that are the same get travelers and the other one gets common.
– manassehkatz
Nov 13 at 18:24
Can you post pictures of the old & new switch? It could be as simple as "screws for hot vs. common flipped old vs. new". Simple usual guide is that 2 screws will be one color and one a different color (brass vs. silver) - the 2 that are the same get travelers and the other one gets common.
– manassehkatz
Nov 13 at 18:24
The common, white wire, shouldn't be hot unless it's being used as part of the switch leg, in which case, it should've been marked hot with black or red tape... There are 3 or 4 different ways to wire a 3 way circuit...
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:41
The common, white wire, shouldn't be hot unless it's being used as part of the switch leg, in which case, it should've been marked hot with black or red tape... There are 3 or 4 different ways to wire a 3 way circuit...
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:41
Yes I will ...Thanks!!
– John
Nov 13 at 18:49
Yes I will ...Thanks!!
– John
Nov 13 at 18:49
2
2
@BillWeckel because OP's installation is in conduit. In that case you get to use two actual, same colors for the travelers. Although I do find conduit work where someone used red, white for the travelers and black for the third, same as if they were in Romex because they cribbed off an Internet how-to diagram... And that's illegal, can't remark white to be a hot in conduit, you're to use the right color wire in the first place. Legal hot colors are anything but white, gray (neutral) or green.
– Harper
Nov 13 at 20:51
@BillWeckel because OP's installation is in conduit. In that case you get to use two actual, same colors for the travelers. Although I do find conduit work where someone used red, white for the travelers and black for the third, same as if they were in Romex because they cribbed off an Internet how-to diagram... And that's illegal, can't remark white to be a hot in conduit, you're to use the right color wire in the first place. Legal hot colors are anything but white, gray (neutral) or green.
– Harper
Nov 13 at 20:51
|
show 3 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
The usual reason is that the installer is moving the wires to the same position on the new switch, rather than looking at the screws' function -- because every 3-way has their screws in different places and the installer did not realize the screw colors are the important part. That's the usual reason.
This is one reason I make a point to positively identify the two travelers and mark them with yellow electrical tape. Yellow wires on yellow screws, there ya go. In a cabinet with two unrelated 3-ways working in close proximity, I use blue, purple or green for the second set of travelers. They sell a 5-pack of 5 colors of electrical tape for about $5 in most stores.
answered Nov 13 at 18:43
Harper
60.6k337122
I also mark travelers or in conduit pull the same color makes it easy to figure out.+
– Ed Beal
Nov 13 at 20:06
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
The usual reason is that the installer is moving the wires to the same position on the new switch, rather than looking at the screws' function -- because every 3-way has their screws in different places and the installer did not realize the screw colors are the important part. That's the usual reason.
This is one reason I make a point to positively identify the two travelers and mark them with yellow electrical tape. Yellow wires on yellow screws, there ya go. In a cabinet with two unrelated 3-ways working in close proximity, I use blue, purple or green for the second set of travelers. They sell a 5-pack of 5 colors of electrical tape for about $5 in most stores.
answered Nov 13 at 18:43
Harper
60.6k337122
I also mark travelers or in conduit pull the same color makes it easy to figure out.+
– Ed Beal
Nov 13 at 20:06
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
The usual reason is that the installer is moving the wires to the same position on the new switch, rather than looking at the screws' function -- because every 3-way has their screws in different places and the installer did not realize the screw colors are the important part. That's the usual reason.
This is one reason I make a point to positively identify the two travelers and mark them with yellow electrical tape. Yellow wires on yellow screws, there ya go. In a cabinet with two unrelated 3-ways working in close proximity, I use blue, purple or green for the second set of travelers. They sell a 5-pack of 5 colors of electrical tape for about $5 in most stores.
answered Nov 13 at 18:43
Harper
60.6k337122
I also mark travelers or in conduit pull the same color makes it easy to figure out.+
– Ed Beal
Nov 13 at 20:06
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
The usual reason is that the installer is moving the wires to the same position on the new switch, rather than looking at the screws' function -- because every 3-way has their screws in different places and the installer did not realize the screw colors are the important part. That's the usual reason.
This is one reason I make a point to positively identify the two travelers and mark them with yellow electrical tape. Yellow wires on yellow screws, there ya go. In a cabinet with two unrelated 3-ways working in close proximity, I use blue, purple or green for the second set of travelers. They sell a 5-pack of 5 colors of electrical tape for about $5 in most stores.
answered Nov 13 at 18:43
Harper
60.6k337122
The usual reason is that the installer is moving the wires to the same position on the new switch, rather than looking at the screws' function -- because every 3-way has their screws in different places and the installer did not realize the screw colors are the important part. That's the usual reason.
This is one reason I make a point to positively identify the two travelers and mark them with yellow electrical tape. Yellow wires on yellow screws, there ya go. In a cabinet with two unrelated 3-ways working in close proximity, I use blue, purple or green for the second set of travelers. They sell a 5-pack of 5 colors of electrical tape for about $5 in most stores.
answered Nov 13 at 18:43
Harper
60.6k337122
answered Nov 13 at 18:43
Harper
60.6k337122
answered Nov 13 at 18:43
Harper
60.6k337122
answered Nov 13 at 18:43
Harper
60.6k337122
60.6k337122
I also mark travelers or in conduit pull the same color makes it easy to figure out.+
– Ed Beal
Nov 13 at 20:06
add a comment |
I also mark travelers or in conduit pull the same color makes it easy to figure out.+
– Ed Beal
Nov 13 at 20:06
I also mark travelers or in conduit pull the same color makes it easy to figure out.+
– Ed Beal
Nov 13 at 20:06
I also mark travelers or in conduit pull the same color makes it easy to figure out.+
– Ed Beal
Nov 13 at 20:06
add a comment |
John is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
John is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Can you post a pic?
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:23
Can you post pictures of the old & new switch? It could be as simple as "screws for hot vs. common flipped old vs. new". Simple usual guide is that 2 screws will be one color and one a different color (brass vs. silver) - the 2 that are the same get travelers and the other one gets common.
– manassehkatz
Nov 13 at 18:24
The common, white wire, shouldn't be hot unless it's being used as part of the switch leg, in which case, it should've been marked hot with black or red tape... There are 3 or 4 different ways to wire a 3 way circuit...
– BillWeckel
Nov 13 at 18:41
Yes I will ...Thanks!!
– John
Nov 13 at 18:49
2
@BillWeckel because OP's installation is in conduit. In that case you get to use two actual, same colors for the travelers. Although I do find conduit work where someone used red, white for the travelers and black for the third, same as if they were in Romex because they cribbed off an Internet how-to diagram... And that's illegal, can't remark white to be a hot in conduit, you're to use the right color wire in the first place. Legal hot colors are anything but white, gray (neutral) or green.
– Harper
Nov 13 at 20:51