[bepilot]

I bought a Leviton 3 way switch with pilot light to replace one of the two - three way switches for my basement lights. I am stumped about what I have to add to the wiring to make this work properly. It shows "traveler" wires between two pilot light switches in the diagram that came with it. They don't show it wired to a plain three way switch. I have a VOM meter and other diagnostic equipment and have done a fair amount of wiring - but this one has me stumped.

[EPMiller]

I'm not really familiar with the particular switch you have, so I can't speak to whether it needs to be used in a pair or not. That said, unless the instructions tell you otherwise just wire it in like the last switch, and if it doesn't work as planned, just replace the other switch too. There is no need of special extra wiring. Those "traveler wires" are there already between the two existing 3-ways.

[bepilot]

Ed - I appreciate you quick response. I thought this switch would wire in like a normal 3 way switch, but the wiring diagram that accompanied the switch showed it wired to another pilot light switch. There is a fourth wire that is shown running between the two switches. The other switch I have in this circuit is a standard 3 way switch. The diagram for the switch is included here. I hope that helps make clearer what this switch requires to work properly.

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/attach...1&d=1226891913

[Missouri Bound]

The "extra wire" you refer to is a neutral for the pilot light. The rest of the wires are the same as for any 3 way switch. But it's very likely you do NOT have a neutral available in the box the switch is in. If you do, then you can make the pilot like work.

[bepilot]

That is what I thought the problem might be. As the pilot needs a neutral to be part of the switching for the light. I guess I have to figure out how to run a wire between the two switches. A problem - but one that can be solved with some fish tape. Thank you for the answer.

[Missouri Bound]

If you have conduit, you can do it easily. Good luck. But the wire doesn't' need to be between the two switches, just the one with the pilot light and to an existing neutral for that lighting circuit. You won't have a place to put it on a regular 3 way switch.

[EPMiller]

Ah, the switch requires a neutral and feedback from the power to the load. That's 1 extra conductor and 2 extra connections. The wiring diagram is all there. If you only need one piloted switch and the lines out to the load are in the same box with it, you could do with just standard 3 conductor cable to the remote (unpiloted) switch.

[bepilot]

I believe the power is to the box with the piloted switch. There is a neutral in that box going out to the load(s) and the other remote unpiloted switch. There is no conduit to the boxes. They were of course all run when the house was built before the drywall went up.

[bepilot]

It now works. After getting this diagram from Leviton's support folks I had to switch the power feed to the non pilot light switch and that made it work. Of course to chase down a wire and get all the other wires rung out and connected took me 5 hours - but I work for free so it was a good deal. Thanks for the help.

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/amhd_imgs/attach/jpg.gif

[sambolog]

You guys are great help.
I want to wire "2" 3-way pilot switches. I have a fan int the attic and upper and lower bathrooms which the fan is being used for. Since the fan is quite I need to know if the fan is on hence the 2 pilot lights.
Do I only need one more traveler with your diagram?
Thanks

[ma0641]

You don't need any more travelers, you need a neutral for the light. See the above diagram. However, if the light is wired with a switch loop you probably don't have a neutral.

[novice99]

What are the white wire and black "jumper" wire attached to on the 3-way switch with the pilot light? What is meant by the statement, The 3-way switch with the pilot light must be placed in the load location?

Thank you.

[hkstroud]

There are five way to wire a set of 3-way switches. The first and most easy to comprehend is the diagram shown above.

Power is fed to the first switch box. That is the line switch. There the hot is connected to the common terminal. A 3-conduttor cable (4 wires) is run between the switches. Two of those wires, red and black are connected to the traveler terminals. The white is a neutral. It simply runs with the travelers to the second 3-way switch.

There is always a connection between the common and one of the travelers. Which traveler depends on the switch setting.

Current flows to the second 3-way switch by the traveler wires which are connected to the traveler terminals of the second switch. This is the load switch. Current comes out the common terminal and goes to the light (load). The white of the 3-conductor cable is the neutral and is connected to the white going to the light.

The "jumper' wires of the pilot switch are connected to the neutral and the hot going to the light. That way the pilot light is just another light in the circuit.

For the light (and the pilot light) to burn there must be a complete circuit. This only happens when both switches are in the same position. When either switch is changes the circuit is broken.

The pilot light switch must be at the load switch location because the line switch doesn't know what position the load switch is in.

[Missouri Bound]

You guys are great help.
I want to wire "2" 3-way pilot switches. I have a fan int the attic and upper and lower bathrooms which the fan is being used for. Since the fan is quite I need to know if the fan is on hence the 2 pilot lights.
Do I only need one more traveler with your diagram?
Thanks

The first thing you need to do is start your own thread.