I have 14/2 on both ends of 2- 3 way swtiches. Does anyone know of a way to wire these switches without changing it out to 14-3? THANK YOU!

Have the 14-2 be the travellers. Then hook lights to closest 3 way, The Black/(light wire) goes to common on this three way, and hook up the lights neutral to neutral in box.
Now you need to get a constant hot to the other 3 way common screw.

There is NO Legal or safe way to make a 3-way work with only a "2-wire" between the switches.
You CANNOT have the neutral come from one box and the hot from another.

What does this mean?:

I have 14/2 on both ends of 2- 3 way swtiches.

No.

This does not make any sense! Please explain.

Had a so called electrician come out and do some wiring for me for 2 3 way switches. He did not use 14/3. what he did was this, a total of 5 wires, 2 switch legs ( for two separate lights) and then 3 14/2 lines from one box over to the other box. I have tried to call hm out to redo this correctly with 14/3 but has not returned my calls, any way to make this work so I can finish my kitchen up?

Yes, can you provide some type of diagram showing the boxes involved and the wires between each of those boxes?

I'm sure I can draw up something.
How do I get this to you?

Again thank you for your help

If you can draw it up, and scan it, then when you reply, attach the image by clicking on the mountain/sun Icon, it should show up.
Or take a picture of your drawing, then attach the photo(s)

Here you go! Not the best but hope it makes sense!

Again thank you for your help

I know just enough about eletrical to get me in trouble.
But it seems it should have been 1 14/2 wire going from one box to the next. Then instead of the other 2 14/2 wires they should have been 14/3, seems like I need to try and get another 14/2 pulled box to box or rip all drywall out and redo it the correct way.

Identify the 3 pairs of 14-2(different colored tape, numbers or letters)
Then hook #1 14-2 to the same colored screws on each end of the cable.
Then hook 2 more 3 ways on each end of cable 2, These 2 pairs are your travellers.
The 3rd cable will connect to the power from the receptacle on the bottom box and the black will also need to have 2 short pigtails(black wires), each pigtail will connect to the common on each of the 3 ways. You are done with the bottom box. This was the "Hot End" of the 3 ways.
Now back to the Top Box in the Picture, Connect the whites from the lights to the white on cable #3, And the each black from the 2 sets of lights connects the common of each 3 way(dark screw), this is the "Switched End. The black from cable 3 will get capped off, or that black and white and a ground, can be run to an additional receptacle.

I see you posted and left, while I was writing, hope you didn't rip the walls out. Maybe 14-2 is what was available.
It will work, I will see if I can get a chance to draw this out. Have to go now. Good Luck.

No I haven't ripped the walls out yet! But I will try what you wrote. A drawing would be great if you can.

Again thank you for your help

Don

Trying to get you the drawing, It says I have to accept scripted windows, I do and it still won't do squat?

C:\Users\stratmando\Pictures\4-12-2011 9;44;58 PM14-2,3way.JPG

Little confused stratmando. Wire #1 both white and black go to same colored screws? On one switch?

Whatever u posted I can't open

This is what Strat is telling you do do. It will work but I'm not sure that it is legal. Plus that's a lot of wires in one box.

HK, can you tell me how to post a picture, I had it in electrical, it has been moved to forums, I want to post a scanned image. Thanks
Why wouldn't it be Legal?
HK, here is a link to my problem:
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/forum-help/attaching-pictures-570037.html Thanks
All the Grounds get tied together, we left this out thinking it is understood, if not they need to be connected.

Finally got the image thanks Stratmando. Now that I can see it visually I understand it better.
Thanks again, I will try this out in the morning, And yes Grounds are all connected together ahaha!

Thanks Again for your help!
Will let you know if I got it to work!
Shouldn't be a problem though!!

Thank you too HK!! I really appreciate everything both of you have showed me

The Image is from Hk, It seems like for me to get to post an image will a long time at this rate.
Someone has to be able to answer my question on not being able to post images?
You will likely have it wired before I get an answer? Take care, keep us posted.

I will keep you both posted. Yea I just realized the image was from HK. Thank you Both

Strat,

As I'm sure you know, an ac voltage on one conductor will induce a small voltage in another conductor in proximity. Therefore, the need to have the neutral in the same cable as the hot conductor. Since the current in the neutral is traveling in the opposite direction it induces an opposite voltage. The two voltages cancel each other.


When 3-wire cable is used between two 3-way switches, two of the wires are the travelers and the 3rd is either a neutral or a switched leg. Like the neutral, current on the switched leg is moving in the opposite direction, the two induced voltages cancel each other out.

If the travelers are in one cable and the switched leg is in another, the traveler being used will induce a small voltage in the traveler not being used. The switch leg will induce a voltage in the other wire in the other cable.

In the situation described I assume that the wiring has been done and the wall closed up. The induced voltages are very small and given the situation described I personally wouldn't worry about it. I do not think, however it meets code. If the person that did the wiring was an electrician, I don't think I would hire him again. That is unless TK or Stan comes along and tells me I am wrong about it not meeting code.


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I see no problem with the wiring, while not how it is normally done.

No different that a two wire switch loop.

Strat and HK, The diagram works, however, I am only getting 84 volts to one light, tested at the box 120v but up to the box only 84v. Thank you again for your help

We will need to know which light you have 84 volts at.

Seems you have something spliced in series.

Looking at the diagram it is light on right of diagram
Again thanks for your help

I would guess a neutral connection?
Plug an extension cord into a known good outlet with 120 Volts on it, bring to your light and use the cords neutral as a reference.
If you use the Neutral on the cord and the hot at the light and it is 84 volts, it is the Hot and may be one of the switches or a connection.
If it is now 120 volts, the neutral is the problem, and check the whites in both boxes, Not the whites that have been taped with black tape on the switches.

There are quite a lot of wires there. It is possible you mis-wired a white wire. Some whites wires are neutrals and some are being used as hot conductors.

I have changed the color of the whites that are being used as hot conductors to purple to make the drawing easier to read.