View Full Version : Need help wiring ceiling fan with 4 3way switches
4inces
Jun 10, 2012, 05:33 AM
Need a wire diagram showing how to hook up a ceiling fan using 4 3way switches to control ligth and fan separately from two locations with power coming into the fan
Yesterday I asked for a diagram to wire 4 3way switches to a ceiling fan / light with one set of 3ways for the fan the other set for the light and I received a digram from hkstroud but it didn't work after hooking it up per the diagram all 4 switches had power even in the off position also these are lighted switches and even though they had pow the switches were not luminated in the off position. Any suggestions or other diagram would be appreciated I need a digram if possible its just easier for myself thank yous
Stratmando
Jun 10, 2012, 06:00 AM
See if I can find a diagram, Basically the light and fan wires go to the common of the 3 way at the box they go into.
Then you need 2 pairs of wires between the 2 switch locations, 2 blues and 2 browns for example would make it easy to work with, you can also identify with tape, those pairs connect to the 2 NOT Common Terminals of the other 2 3 ways. Then the common of those 2 need a constant hot.
To Sum it up, you need:
Power to the common of 1 3way, and the wire to the light or fan to the other common of the other 3 way.
A pair of wires(travellers) to the other 2 terminals.
hkstroud
Jun 10, 2012, 09:56 AM
..
tkrussell
Jun 12, 2012, 02:41 AM
I merged both questions, not sure what happened to one of them, but got the most recent post here.
I see nothing wrong with HK's diagram. I do not recall the original question mentioning illuminated switches. These should require a neutral brought to the switches, which would need 4 wire plus ground cable.
4inces
Jun 12, 2012, 03:43 AM
I merged both questions, not sure what happened to one of them, but got the most recent post here.
I see nothing wrong with HK's diagram. I do not recall the original question mentioning illuminated switches. These should require a neutral brought to the switches, which would need 4 wire plus ground cable.
Where will the neutrals hook up
hkstroud
Jun 12, 2012, 04:11 AM
Nor do I recall any mention of illuminated switches. I have also looked at the diagram and find nothing wrong.
all 4 switches had power even in the off position
Not sure what that means. Yes, there will always be power to the common terminals screw of the first set of switches. And there will always be power to one of the traveler terminals of the second set of switches.
There are illuminated rocker type switches that do not require a neutral. Whether there are illuminated three way switches that do no require a neutral, I can not say with absolute certainty but I believe there is. I will be out later today and will look.
tkrussell
Jun 12, 2012, 04:12 AM
To each switch, assuming, since they are illunimated, they require a neutral.
HK's drawing would need to be changed to show at least one of the cables to be four wire to get a neutral from the ceiling box down to each switch box.
Stratmando
Jun 12, 2012, 05:50 AM
Here is an illuminated 3 way, They work by using the load as the "neutral"?:
LevitonŽ DecoraŽ 3-Way Illuminated Switch, Ivory (http://www.osh.com/eng/product/leviton_decora_3_way_illuminated_switch_ivory/6789515)
hkstroud
Jun 12, 2012, 05:57 AM
Leviton 104-05613-2WS is an illuminated 3-way rocker type switch that does not require a neutral. If the switches you currently have are illuminated and do not have a neutral screw you do not need a neutral wire.
marcbenoit
Sep 11, 2014, 03:30 PM
Silly question... I put a pigtail on the white 3 wire going to the light and put two whites there for the neutral side of the light and the fan. I have red as hot on the fan and black for hot on the light... is this right?
ma0641
Sep 11, 2014, 05:11 PM
Is this a ceiling fan or a bath fan? Is this 1 fixture? You only need 1 neutral and switch the red and black if you have 2 switches.
hkstroud
Sep 11, 2014, 06:54 PM
Silly question... I put a pigtail on the white 3 wire going to the light and put two whites there for the neutral side of the light and the fan. I have red as hot on the fan and black for hot on the light... is this right?
If that means you are trying to set up 3-way switches for a fan and light like 4inces was doing and you mean the neutral (white) in the ceiling then the answer is, yes that is correct.
marcbenoit
Sep 15, 2014, 06:22 AM
Thank you... worked great