3 ways

[360Youth]

My only suggestion is to check the switch with a meter. The common will read with either of the other two and the travelers will not read together at all. At first I thought it may be the same trouble I have had with 3-way dimmers. The use wires instead of screws, two black and a red, but the groupings and identifications can be odd. It seems to me that that a red and black werre travelers and remining black was common, but the blacks wee grouped together. I say that incase you are not 100% sure of the screw identifications.

It is odd that we have so many posts for a 3-way, but it does not take much to recall the back and forth checks and re-checks and wire swapping for what ultimately results in a "well, duh" moment. :grin: I hope the solution is quick and painless.

 

[cowboyjwc]

This is an easy one, you are using the back-stabs and not looping the wire on the screw. Decora switch's are confusing in that you may think the back-stab next to the common screw is the one to use but it is the one above the common screw, try hooking them up by the screws and not the back-stabs and they will work correctly.:smile:

I only back stabbed Decora 3-ways once before I never made that mistake again.

Or, if he bought them on the internet there is a chance that they are factory seconds or something and they could be miss marked.

 

[acrwc10]

I only back stabbed Decora 3-ways once before I never made that mistake again.

Or, if he bought them on the internet there is a chance that they are factory seconds or something and they could be miss marked.

I'm telling you this is the problem, I am 100% sure of this. The Decora's are confusing when you look at the back stabs, the hole to the left of the common screw is not the common even though it is the closest to the common screw, when guys get in a hurry it happens "EVERY" time

 

[electricguy61]

I'm telling you this is the problem, I am 100% sure of this. The Decora's are confusing when you look at the back stabs, the hole to the left of the common screw is not the common even though it is the closest to the common screw, when guys get in a hurry it happens "EVERY" time

I agree. I've had this problem a number of times before with the Leviton device and you forget to look carefully at which one is common.

 

[acrwc10]

So are you going to tell us what it was that made them not work ??????????

 

[dcspector]

I am going to bring my own parts into the GMC dealership next time I bring the truck in for service. I am sure they will have no problem with that as I just don't want to pay their high prices.

..........good point.:smile:

 

[POWER_PIG]

I agree,,,,he used the back stab feature and got confused. No shame in that, everyone blubs up every now and again.

 

[ceb58]

So are you going to tell us what it was that made them not work ??????????

Or, if he bought them on the internet there is a chance that they are factory seconds or something and they could be miss marked.

Just got back to them today, no one breathing down my neck. These switches are marked Leveton NOT Leviton. These DAMN things are some knock off. I get one of the boxes and it has very little writing on the box but one thing it dose say is " light switching from two locations". My helper installed all of the switches and I did not get into these things until I started powering up the house. I checked the switches with my meter and out of 28 I could only read all three terminals on 4 switches, the rest I could only read on two terminals. ALL SWITCHES ARE NOW IN A BOX,ON THE HOME OWNERS FRONT STEPS, WITH A NOTE TO CALL ME WHEN HE RETURNS FROM THE BEACH
Like I said pay me now or pay me more later. It's up to you.
This HO is a retired doctor acting as the GC and a very nice guy to work with I know that when I explain and show him what happened I will not have any problem with the extra charges. Bob and some others have stated the down side of letting someone else provide the material. I swear this is the last time I let HO buy material except fixtures and fans

 

[acrwc10]

Just got back to them today, no one breathing down my neck. These switches are marked Leveton NOT Leviton. These DAMN things are some knock off.

So were they also mark " made in the U S E "

You need to look and see if the Doctor is wearing a "Rolix".