This was a new one to me

[ishium 80439]

On a small service call yesterday fixing a few problem 3 ways (typical pivot, common swap). The HO shows me one more where there is a S3 by the garage door that operates the outside lights. The other half of this 3 way is by the front door in a 3 gang box. The other two switches are S1- one for outside lights, one for entry. The HO tells me that the 2 S1's sometimes don't work.

Long story short the clown who wired this place forgot to pull a feed to the box by the front door. Easy fix- just splice on to one of the travellers and bring that to the line side of the switches! This place looks like it was rewired within the past 10 years.

It kills me. Rather than admit he made a mistake and eat the cost for drywall repair, the guy makes a hack repair w/ a taillight guarantee. Too many of those guys out there.

 

[jumper]

Definitely a new one to me also, I shouldn't be laughing right now, but all I can see in my head right now is " honey, turn on the garage light, so I can see in the hall to get my coat and go shopping."

 

[LarryFine]

Are they on the same circuit? Where's the neu, excuse me, grounded conductor coming from? Not the EGC, I hope.

 

[SEO]

side of the switches! This place looks like it was rewired within the past 10 years.

the guy makes a hack repair w/ a taillight guarantee. .

I like your analogy.:smile:

 

[ishium 80439]

It was fed on the garage side and switch legged on the entry side so the white wire D) was coming from the garage on the 3wire w/ the 2 travelers.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Easy fix- just splice on to one of the travellers and bring that to the line side of the switches!

If I understand this, you abandoned a 3-way and sent power on one of the travelers (made a travler into a hot thereby not being able to make that 3-way work correctly)?

 

[ishium 80439]

That was my solution. The HO didn't care that much about the 3way and didn't want to damage any wall finishes to get a feed to the 3 gang.

 

[benaround]

The original installer must of been a 'knob and tube' guy.

 

[Mr.Sparkle]

My money is on the employee covering his mistake.....shhhhhhhh.

 

[ishium 80439]

One thing that occured to me was that it was delibarate. Perhaps the HO was a pain to work with and the EC did this as petty revenge. They were nice enough to me so I don't think this was the issue but it would be a way to "get back" at someone if you thought you could get away with it.

 

[charlie]

. . . Where's the neu, excuse me, grounded conductor coming from? . .

Hey Larry, "Neutral Conductor" and "Neutral Point" are now defined in the 2008 Edition of the NEC. Everyone has been beat up for years to say "Grounded Conductor" and now you can use the term "Neutral. By the way, there are places where "Grounded Conductor" is still appropriate such as where you have a corner grounded delta system.

OK, I know you already knew but I just wanted to pick on you.

 

[George Stolz]

It kills me. Rather than admit he made a mistake and eat the cost for drywall repair, the guy makes a hack repair w/ a taillight guarantee. Too many of those guys out there.

Careful: that guy might have been in the room with you, showing you the problem.