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    budwrd's Avatar
    budwrd Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Feb 11, 2010, 02:58 PM
    Wiring a ceiling fan with 3 way
    I have 14/3 going to fan/light the fan is working off blk &wh wires fine. The red is running to blue for light. At box 1, I have blk/power in,red going to light. Also red & blk from 2nd box. For total of 4 wires +grd. At 2nd box I have14/2 &14/3.White wires are tied together.14/2 blk is hot. 14/3 red&blk which travel back to 1st box. How do I wire each box?
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
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    #2

    Feb 11, 2010, 03:44 PM

    Can't follow your description.

    How many cables and what kind (14-2, 14-3) in switch 1?
    How many cables and what kind in switch 2?
    How many cables and what kind in ceiling box?
    3-way switches are for light. Is there a switch for fan or is it controlled by pull chain?
    budwrd's Avatar
    budwrd Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Feb 11, 2010, 04:29 PM
    I'm sorry I guess I misled you . My problem is with light on the ceiling fan. To answer your questions. Switch 1 has 2 cables both 14-3.
    Switch 2 has 2 cables. 1 is 14-2 the other is 14-3.
    The ceiling has 1 cable. 14-3.
    The fan has separate contoller running off black & white wires from 14-3in ceiling. The red wire is going to blue wire for light.
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    budwrd Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Feb 11, 2010, 04:45 PM
    Switch 1 has 2 cables both 14-3. switch 2 has 2 cables .1 is 14-2 the other is 14-3. ceiling has 1 cable 14-3. I have the fan working. My problem is the 4 wires +grd in switch 1 .
    budwrd's Avatar
    budwrd Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Feb 11, 2010, 04:45 PM
    Switch 1 has 2 cables both 14-3. switch 2 has 2 cables .1 is 14-2 the other is 14-3. ceiling has 1 cable 14-3. I have the fan working. My problem is the 4 wires +grd in switch 1 .
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    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
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    #6

    Feb 11, 2010, 05:08 PM

    I thought that was what you were describing.

    Here is the problem. Power comes to what you are calling switch 2 via the 14-2. Black is hot and white is neutral. Black is connected to the switch common and white is connect to the white of the 3-wire going to switch 1. Red and black of the 3-wire is connected to the traveler screws of switch 2.

    At what you are calling switch 1, the red and black are connected to the traveler screws. White is connected to the white of the 3-wire going to the ceiling. The red or black of the 3-wire going to the ceiling is connected to common of the switch.

    White is the neutral passing through the switch boxes to the ceiling. Power passes through switch 2 and goes to switch 1 by either the red or black. Power passes through switch 1 (when switches are in the same position) and exits via the common terminal and goes to either the fan or the light. If red is connected to the blue of the fan/light then red would be connected to the common of switch 1.

    That would be fine except there is no unswitched power for the fan at switch 1.

    The 3-wire cable from the ceiling needs to go to what you are calling switch two, the same switch box where power is coming in.

    If you can do that I can provide a wiring diagram.
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    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
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    #7

    Feb 11, 2010, 05:10 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by budwrd View Post
    my problem is the 4 wires +grd in switch 1 .
    4 wires? Can you clarify?
    budwrd's Avatar
    budwrd Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
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    #8

    Feb 11, 2010, 05:30 PM

    At switch 1 I have a blk wire that is hot also. 1 red wire that goes to light in fan. And a red and blk wire that go to switch2.
    In same switch box 1 there is a fan switch that works fan.
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    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
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    #9

    Feb 11, 2010, 05:37 PM

    How can that be? You said you have two 14-3 cables at switch 1. One coming from switch two and one going to the ceiling box. Are you saying that there are three cables at switch 1, one 14-2 and two 14-3, and a single pole switch?
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    budwrd Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
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    #10

    Feb 11, 2010, 06:49 PM
    Sorry about that .guess the original electrican that took my money and ran ! Had added a extra wire in box. Please send me wiring diagram.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
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    #11

    Feb 11, 2010, 10:22 PM

    At switch 2
    Remove 14-2 cable or cap black and white wires with wire nuts.
    Connect black to common of 3-way switch.
    Connect red to one traveler screw.
    Connect white to other traveler screw.

    At switch 1
    Add two pigtails to black of 14-2 power in cable with wire nut.
    Connect one pigtail to common of 3-way switch.
    Connect other pigtail to terminal of single pole fan switch.
    Connect white of 14-2 power in cable to white of 3-wire cable going to ceiling box.
    Connect black of 3-wire cable going to ceiling box to terminal of fan switch.
    Connect red of 3-wire cable going to switch 2 to one traveler screw of 3-way switch.
    Connect white of 3-wire cable going to switch 2 to other traveler screw of 3-way switch.
    Connect black of 3-wire cable going to switch 2 to red of 3-wire cable going to ceiling box.
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    budwrd Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
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    #12

    Feb 13, 2010, 08:24 AM

    Thank you for your patience. And your drawing was just what I needed.
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    diabolical Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #13

    Feb 14, 2010, 08:21 AM

    I would have sent the hot over to the other three way on the white so as to re-mark it as a hot. And kept the red as a switchleg common at first switch

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