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suffer78 · May 18, 2012, 11:19 AM

Here's my issue. We're remodeling and in the process most outlets and switches have been replaced, all fairly standard and has been a breeze till I got to the 3 way switches.

I pulled the switches off both sides of my 3 way.

Inside I found:

2 black wires (one going to common if I recall correctly), 1 white wire going to switch.
2 ground wires were connected to the remaining white wire and wound up nicely in the back of the box. (I don't understand the unconnected grounds and have been connecting them all in the 2 way switches, house was build mid 1980's)

After some research that screams "you need 14-3 wires" I can't figure out how to get it working correctly.

What's the best way to remedy this.

Thanks

jerro · May 18, 2012, 07:31 PM

[The big problem is the ground wires should not be connect to the white wire. Apparently whoever ran the wires for 3 way switching used 2 14/2 wires instead of the 14/3 that you mentioned. He must have used a black and white as runners to the other 3 way switch, a black for hot power to the switch and the grounds and the other white as the neutral. This is only speculation without actually looking at the wiring.QUOTE=suffer78;3121367]Here's my issue. We're remodeling and in the process most outlets and switches have been replaced, all fairly standard and has been a breeze till I got to the 3 way switches.

I pulled the switches off both sides of my 3 way.

Inside I found:

2 black wires (one going to common if I recall correctly), 1 white wire going to switch.
2 ground wires were connected to the remaining white wire and wound up nicely in the back of the box. (I don't understand the unconnected grounds and have been connecting them all in the 2 way switches, house was build mid 1980's)

After some research that screams "you need 14-3 wires" I can't figure out how to get it working correctly.

What's the best way to remedy this.

Thanks[/QUOTE]

tkrussell · May 19, 2012, 04:10 AM

Since your remodeling, re-wire these switches properly with 3 wire plus ground cable.

suffer78 · May 19, 2012, 06:32 AM

Thanks, so I'm thinking I should replace the white/black pair with the appropriate 14-3 wire, discontinue using those original wires. Pull the white off the grounds and connect it to the white on the new 14-3 wire... Of course doing this on both sides.
I'm going to the attic and hopefully fishing this new wire won't be too complicated.