calfornia 3 way?

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rp9ball

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I was on a service call to replace a 3 way switch. When I arrived the maintainence man had the 3 way switches and the lite box apart with all the wires disconnected. The first switch box has power and 3 wires running to the lite box. The second switch has 3 wires to the lite box. In the lite box there is a circuit running to another room. Somehow the wires tied together to work the lite and feed the other circuit. This is knob and tube wire.
Any ideas how to reconnect these wires? :)
 
Re: calfornia 3 way?

sounds like a Chicago 3 way switching neutrals.Lamp shell changes neutral to hot.Works but not legal anymore.Repairs i assume would be legal. Sorry no pic to help

[ August 07, 2004, 04:26 PM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]
 
Re: calfornia 3 way?

do yall see a lot of these in your areas? in southeast texas, i may have seen this 1/2 doz. times in 20 yrs!

[ August 08, 2004, 10:12 AM: Message edited by: cs409 ]
 
Re: calfornia 3 way?

Cs

I've been in the trade for around 40 years and I have run across them about 4 times and every time it was from troubleshooting them.
Really confused the first time.

I think that most of the older homes with threeways that where wired with knob and tubing where wired this way. And as long as they work who knows the difference?

Most of them where the hallway light between the floors and if the socket ever was hot to ground you wouldn't get a shock from touching it anyway. Now in a damp separate garage or a bath,well thats a different situation you could get a lethal shock.

Ronald :)
 
Re: calfornia 3 way?

Ah yes, the old "farmers 3 way" (seems like there are a lot of names for this install. The North shore suburbs of Chicago are loaded with these, generally feeding detached garages.
 
Re: calfornia 3 way?

We call it a "coast" 3 way, all names aside they are rare and your first one will confuse the hell out of you lol.

Get that thing outta there, sooner or later someone will nuke themselves changing a bulb in that fixture.
 
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