3-way Delima

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ElectricianJeff

Senior Member
Location
Southern Illinois
I have run into another that I could use some help on.

I am rewiring a rehab for a customer. They wanted the receps. in the living room all split. Hot on the bottom and 3-way switched on top. I have done this several times but never with a three-way involved but didn't see it as a problem. I roughed with line on one 3-way and the recep. load on the other 3-way switch. When I roughed the receps. in I used 12/2/2 wire since I had some on the truck and having not done this before thought the extra neutral might come in handy. When I went to finish today I elected to just pig-tail the 4 neutrals in each recep. since I didn't think it really would matter as to the operation of the 3-way. I broke the brass clip on the line side, black on bottom, red on top.

The result was I had 120 V on the bottom nada on the top. All my connections appear solid and I have 120 V at the line side of the 3-way. It was getting late but I did take some meter readings at the load side that would make me think I have an open neutral.

What gives? Do I need to separate and break the neutral clip at the recepts? I thought this would be easy but its got me scratching my bald head. Any help, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Jeff

p.s. I hope my explanation makes sense.
 
stickboy1375

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
If you are not sure if your wiring is correct, draw it on paper and make sure it works, not sure if I read your post correctly but sounds like you fed 1 of the 3 ways and then ran a 12-3 to to the next 3 way then hit the receptacles with a 12-2-2?
 
benmin

benmin

Senior Member
Location
Maine
Occupation
Master Electrician
ElectricianJeff said:
I roughed with line on one 3-way and the recep. load on the other 3-way switch.
Click to expand...

do you have a feed at the "load end" to supply power to the always hot of the recp?
 
stickboy1375

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
Dennis Alwon said:
What is 12/2/2???
Click to expand...


same a 14-2-2 , it contains two whites and a blk and red, perfect for AFI and GFI homeruns...

romexextra2.jpg
 
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Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

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Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Jeff

Try explaining the rest of the connection. I am assuming there is a feed in one 3 way and a 3 wire cable to the other 3 way.

One 3 way has a 12/2 to the first rec. and the other 3 way has a 12/2 to the last recep.? Is this correct or is the feed in the recep?
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
stickboy1375 said:
I use it alot, some wire manufacturers call it 14-4 but with a added " 2 circuit" logo on the box...
Click to expand...

I have heard of 14/4 but never saw it. I assumed it had a blue wire.
 
stickboy1375

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
Dennis Alwon said:
I have heard of 14/4 but never saw it. I assumed it had a blue wire.
Click to expand...


You are correct, a 14-4 will contain a BLK, RED, BLUE, & WHITE, I'm surprised you never needed a 14-4 for adding a four way switch, it makes life simple sometimes...
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

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Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
stickboy1375 said:
You are correct, a 14-4 will contain a BLK, RED, BLUE, & WHITE, I'm surprised you never needed a 14-4 for adding a four way switch, it makes life simple sometimes...
Click to expand...

I just carry a 3 wire in and out of the 4 way. Usually I feed one 3 way and switch leg out the other carrying the neutral through.
 
stickboy1375

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
I used 14-4 the other day, I had wall sconces on each gable end controlled with a set of of 3 ways on each gable end, it saved me only running 1 wire between the 3 way switches...the job was old work and I was already tired of cutting out sheetrock behind the baseboard...:mad:
 
cadpoint

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
If you can't draw it like "Stick" said, you ain't going to wire it correctly.:rolleyes:

The switchs are only before or after the Devices ... U didn't make the cut ...
 
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stickboy1375

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
cadpoint said:
If you can't draw it like "Stick" said, you ain't going to wire it correctly.:rolleyes:

The switchs are only before or after the Devices ... U didn't make the cut ...
Click to expand...


So you would rather pull a 14-3 and a 14-2 when you only need a 14-4?
 
quogueelectric

quogueelectric

Senior Member
Location
new york
12-2-2

12-2-2

Dennis Alwon said:
What is 12/2/2???
Click to expand...
Dennis 12/2/2/ is a 5 conductor 12 wire with 2 sets of 12/2 and a ground wire in the same cable it is very expensive. I usually pick it up when it goes on sale and they are looking to move stock. I sometimes use it for ac runs where a service receptacle is required and the Ac load is under 16 amps fla so I dont have to run annother ckt I am charging for one anyway. It would be good for arc fault breaker runs to bedrooms with adjascent walls or wherever you need 2 circuits with separate neutrals or 2 2pole circuits.like 2 small appliance ckts in a kitchen where you used gfci breakers and yes the second set of wires are marked for positive identification.
 
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