[Woodbob]

Rewiring a table lamp with a 3-Way rotary switch in base. Original sw. has 3 wires - Red #2 /Black #L and Brown 1

New switch as 3 wires Black #L Red #1 and Blue #2

Lamp bulb socket is Red for Small connection, Blue is Long center tab, White to neutral outside blub connection.

I wired this: 110 Volt neural to White
Red Sw to Red Lamp
Blue sw to Blue lamp
110 Volt hot to Black Sw.

Plug is not polarized but I marked the hot side and the lamp goes on then off. turned sw. one position light goes on then off .

Found that this burned out the filaments in the bulb.

A regular non 3-way bulb lights and stays on OK.

Ohmmeter says no shorts.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks Bob

[InfoJunkie4Life]

The wiring seems OK, it could be a defective switch. Have you tested the positions for continuity?

For a three way switch there should be 4 positions, First Red to Black Continuous, Second Blue to Black Continuous, Third Black and Blue and Red all Continuous, Fourth None continuous.

[Woodbob]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. As info, yes I did checked the switch on all positions and all OK. I purchased two switches from same source, both checked same and good. I also checked the lamp itself and no shorts or open circuits. I purchased two more 3-way bulbs, rechecked wiring and put in new bulb. All working on all positions. Guessing it was two defective bulbs. This threw me off a little when two bulbs burned out the same way. Thanks again for your answer. I'll be trying her other lamp when I return this one.

Bob

[InfoJunkie4Life]

Thanks for the reply Bob, and good luck.