4 way, what am I missing??

[rustynailhead]

installing a 4 way to an existing 3 way. The feed and switch leg are at one location, so naturally the feed is sent to the far 3 way switch(white hot, black and red travelers). I put a j box in the middle cut the 3 wire between the 3 way hooked the white back together(keeping the hot at the far switch). I took two pieces of three wire to the new four way(not using the whites) and interupted the travlers using black and red...one set of wires(black and red) to one 3 way's travlers and black and red to the other three way's travelers, hooked them to the 4 way switch. For whatever reason I can not get it to function properly...am i missing something. Its a cooper 4 way....two black screws on the bottom and two gold on the top.. I am seriously baffled, i've hooked up many four ways and never had a problem...I must be over looking something, typically i would hook one set of travlers to the right side of the switch and one set to the left....i added an image to help, seems simple but i dunno, maybe im missing something

 

[jumper]

Looks like the travelers are incorrect, The 2 off one 3 way should be on a black pair of terminals on the 4 way and the other 2 to the next 3 way should be on the gold pair.

 

[jumper]

Do you have the power feed going to the 4 way?

No, you just switched colors, your travelers are wrong..

 

[mcnut]

It looks like you have all 3 wire there, did you double check that j-box where you spliced to add the 4-way?
If you mixed up one of the whites, your feed could be going to the wrong place. And if you have the line/load of the travelers in that box mixed up it could give you headaches.

 

[rustynailhead]

double checked

double checked

put one pair of travelers on the gold....one pair on the black, checked the j box, everything looks good. when you switch one three way the light just stays on the others work depending on switch position....i took the 4 way out at the j box and made it a strait 3 way....3 way works fine

 

[infinity]

If your splices are correct and the switches are installed as depicted then it appears to be wired correctly. Could it possibly be a two pole switch and not a 4-way?

 

[rustynailhead]

gosh!!!!!!

gosh!!!!!!

this is pretty strait forward.....really bugging me, ive done many 4 ways and never had a problem like this

 

[rustynailhead]

2 pole

2 pole

im gonna go down and ring out the switch, best to double check.....something must be wrong with it, its not rocket science!!!LOL

 

[jumper]

If your splices are correct and the switches are installed as depicted then it appears to be wired correctly. Could it possibly be a two pole switch and not a 4-way?

Are you saying the travelers off the bottom 3 way to the 4 way are correct? I need to get my glasses if so.

 

[mivey]

im gonna go down and ring out the switch, best to double check.....something must be wrong with it, its not rocket science!!!LOL

If the wires are correct, it must be the switch. If you are confident in the connections, replace the 4-way switch without testing it .

Actually, I would try a 4-way wire-nut switch first.

 

[rustynailhead]

yes im sure

yes im sure

some 4 way switches land on the top as a pair, and some land on the side, depends on what type of brand you buy....

 

[mivey]

its not rocket science!!!LOL

It's funny how we struggle with the simple things sometimes. It is frustrating in the heat of the moment but good for a laugh later. Sounds like time for a cup of coffee, check voice mail, organize the console in the truck, or something distracting.

 

[rustynailhead]

FIXED>>>>BAD SWITCH

FIXED>>>>BAD SWITCH

I can not really believe it but the 4 way is bad, put in a new one and took care of the problem immediately. I have NEVER had a bad device. I knew it was wired right....I thought i was going insane!!!! Thanks for the input....

 

[mivey]

I can not really believe it but the 4 way is bad, put in a new one and took care of the problem immediately. I have NEVER had a bad device. I knew it was wired right....I thought i was going insane!!!! Thanks for the input....

A fist pump will be arriving in the mail shortly! Whoo-hoos are extra.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

The 4 way switches are always the first place I look. They are often faulty esp the decora style ones.

 

[stickboy1375]

some 4 way switches land on the top as a pair, and some land on the side, depends on what type of brand you buy....

Funny story... I've always used standard 4 way toggles, and they land on the top and bottom, did a house which just happened to have about 6 four ways in it, (decora style switches installed) and wouldn't you know it, they landed side to side... plates were on and all... ugh... i always check now.

 

[jumper]

some 4 way switches land on the top as a pair, and some land on the side, depends on what type of brand you buy....

True, I guess I have not seen where the pair was mixed as one black and one brass. Seen plenty that were all brass and not marked that you had to ring out. Plenty of bad ones also.

 

[hurk27]

One thing I always look for is if the handle says "OFF or ON" beat my brain against the wall first time I had this pulled on me, and yes it came in a box of 4-ways from the factory, it is has off and on on the toggle handle its a double pole single throw.

 

[hurk27]

The wiring diagram as pointed out is wrong as the black screws should have the travelers from one three way on them and the travelers from the other three way landed of the other screws other then that it good to go.

 

[jumper]

One thing I always look for is if the handle says "OFF or ON" beat my brain against the wall first time I had this pulled on me, and yes it came in a box of 4-ways from the factory, it is has off and on on the toggle handle its a double pole single throw.

Done that.

Teacher used to sand off markings so we had to ring out everything. Threw in bad switches just for kicks.