[illinois1]

I'm putting light in a closet. Conduit is run. Fixture is in ceiling for closet light. Wires are run from ceiling fixture {blue and white} to switch. Wire is run from switch for closet light to a three way switch in another room for power. There are three wires leading in to the three way switch two yellow and one brown. The wires from the closet switch are yellow and brown but not connected to the three way switch I ran the wires I bought yellow and brown since the wires leading to the three way are these colors.

My question is something does not seem right?

The wires run from the closet ceiling in the conduit were there from the previous owner. They are 14 ga. Blue and white. The wires for the switch to the three way are 14 ga. Brown and yellow which I bought. The previous owner had the conduit in place.

The three way has two yellow wires at the bottom and 1 brown wire on the top.

Can I connect the two wires I have run to the closet light switch and to the three way to get power make everything work and be in code. If so how would it be done?

The conduit has been there since I got there but I never knew where they connected. I fished to find the location for the other room.

I wanted to be sure because with the three way it adds an extra twist. I don't understand why they never ran the wires? I hope it is just because they never got around to it!

[Dr1757]

If you are going to use a 3 way switch for the closet light check out this link, YouTube - 3-Way Light Switch Wiring Video, it will show you how to wire it.

[illinois1]

Nice website. The problem is I want to tie in to the three way for power to the closet through the one way switch but through some other threads I believe one wire is a traveler on the three way and not a neutral. I probably have to go right to the source to wire it so I will have continuous power. I'm trying to get confirmation so I know 100% what is required. Thanks again.

[Dr1757]

You are correct one wire is the traveler, most of the time the traveler is red.

The 3 way switch has 2 hot wires on one side, one of them is the power source, most of the time these are black with the traveler on the other side. At the box where the 3 way is located there will be a ground wire, normally green and a neutral wire, normally white. If you connect your switch to the hot wire (power source), neutral wire and ground you will be able to power your closet light. Use your volt meter to identify the power source which is hot all of time. I hope this helps.

[illinois1]

Thanks, for getting back to me. I ran a test. I have yellow 1, yellow 2, and brown wires.

With the light on. When light is off
Brown to ground power Brown to ground no power
Yellow 1 to ground power yellow 1 to ground power
Yellow 2 to ground no power yellow 2 to ground no power

There are no other wires in the box.
Yellow 1 is hot when light is on or off so this would be power?

There is no other wires in the box. The other two wires are connected to the three way Yellow 2 and brown.
How would I finish wiring it with the info given.

Whe

[Dr1757]

In order for the closet light to work it must have a neutral wire and preferably a ground wire. The wires you need are probably in the box with the other 3 way switch.

Is there another switch nearby that you could connect to?

I believe you have discovered why the previous owner didn't finish the job.

[illinois1]

If the previous owner did not finish the job, why? I'm going to check with an electrician on this one.

[Dr1757]

That's a very good idea.

[ballengerb1]

Where do you live? None of the colors you mentioned make any sense to me.

[donf]

Apart from the color code not making sense, you really need to go look at the NEC that your area is using.

Closets are strictly governed for type, placement and locations.

You can take a look at the NEC by following the link at the top of this forum.

[illinois1]

I looked in to the color code and you are correct the better choice would have been to follow a more consistent color on the wires by the previous home owners. I have located the hidden box. There was an addition and they placed a new box to center the hall light. The old box was covered up by a smoke detector. Currently I have the white wire run and am now in the process of running the black wire.

[Stratmando]

The 2 yellows are likely the travellers, and the brown, if it is only hot when the light is on, is the switched leg.
Then you need to pull a hot AND a Neutral to your new switch location.
Since this is in conduit it is not a big problem, you may need to get your hot and neutral from the other 3 way switch or from the lights box.
An electrician will likely remove the other 3 way switch and maybe the light fixture to pull the additional wires to your second 3 way switch location.
You are lucky this is in conduit. Good Luck.

[illinois1]

The light in the closet is working. I did need to run a black power and white neutral from another source. It was conduit so there was another connection to get the wires from.

Thank you.