I am in the process of finishing my basement, and the light at the top of the stairs is connected to a light switch at the top and bottom of the stairwell.

I would like to add another light to this configuration at the bottom of the stairs.

From what I can see, the power runs into the light switch at the top of the stairs, than feeds to the light, than down to the light switch at the bottom of the stairs via a 14-3 wire.

Question: How do I add a second light at the bottom of the stairs? I am assuming it will connect to the light switch at the bottom of the stairwell.

Three way switches have a white wire usually to the bottom terminal and two other wires from the top of the terminals to the two on top of the bottom switch the other terminal on the bottom switch is for the ground wire usually black.So the white wire starts on one side of light and goes through other side of light to bottom of top switch. Depending which way the switches are made the power goes through one of the two top wires over to the top of the other switch which connects it to ground of the bottom terminal on second switch and turns light on/off.
To put another lamp in you have to connect the white wire to both sides like top light or connect ground wire of bottom switch to both sides what ever is easiest to do.

This depends on how it's wired. Easily, you parallel another light with the ligt at the bottom of the stairs from the light junction box.

You must run a 2-conductor cable from the light at the top of the stairs to where you want the new light. No other way to do it. No other way unless you want to change out the 3-conductor cable between the switches to 4-conductor cable. You can not just pick up a circuit at the bottom switch because you have no neutral.

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Originally Posted by Todd1249

I am in the process of finishing my basement, and the light at the top of the stairs is connected to a light switch at the top and bottom of the stairwell.

I would like to add another light to this configuration at the bottom of the stairs.

From what I can see, the power runs into the light switch at the top of the stairs, than feeds to the light, than down to the light switch at the bottom of the stairs via a 14-3 wire.

Question: How do I add a second light at the bottom of the stairs? I am assuming it will connect to the light switch at the bottom of the stairwell.

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Point of clarification. I found the power goes into the light switch at the bottom of the stairwell versus at the top of the stairwell as previously mentioned.

I don't have access to the light at the top of the stairwell or the light switch, short of ripping into the sheetrock. Not preferred at this point.

Does this help, or not?

Thanks,

T

Nope, doesn't help. You could put another switch beside the switch at the bottom and run a cable up to the ceiling and install a second light there. That switch and light would have nothing to do with the light at the top or the 3-way switches however. Not what you want however. No other way of doing it other than cable from light one to light two.