Wiring Three-Way Switch

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Joe Weekley

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I was updating some three-way switches for an outdoor light from toggle to decorator and (like a fool) did not label which wire went where. I traced and diagrammed all the runs and have an idea of how the switches should be connected, but I'm not 100% so wanted to get some advice on here. Any help is much appreciated.

OutdoorLightWiringDiagram.jpg
 

hj

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Cannot tell ANYTHING from you diagram. Essentially, the power goes into the common terminaal on one switch, the two wires connect the switched legs from one switch to the same terminals on the other, then the common from the second switch goes to the light.
 

Joe Weekley

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My apologies if the diagram is unclear. Nothing is connected in the switch boxes so I did not draw lines connecting wires to terminals.

Switch 1 is in upstairs hallway. 12-3 runs from it to Switch 2 in dining room on first floor.
12-2 runs from Switch 2 into electrical panel where black is connected to breaker and white is wire nutted to black of another run of 12-2. Second 12-2's white connected to Neutral bar in panel.
Second 12-2 runs through basement, through junction box, and to outdoor light where it is connected to a security light black to black, white to white.

Would this be correct, while marking the white wires in the switch boxes with black tape?

OutdoorLightWiringDiagram-Updated.jpg
 

Joe Weekley

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Good deal. I'm able to see some of the cable jacket in the switch box so I should be able to tell the common coming from the panel from the black traveler. Thanks for the help!
 

Stuff

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It is ugly but you need to swap the two wires going into the panel to the switch.

NEC 200.7(C)(1) ... If used for single-pole, 3-way or 4-way switch loops, the reidentified conductor with ... shall be used only for the supply to the switch, but not as a return conductor from the switch to the outlet.
 

Joe Weekley

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Thanks for the info, Stuff. Couple questions:

1. When swapping the wires from the panel to the switch, would (should) I also swap the white/black wires of the 12-3 making the white a traveler?

--This would make: reidentified white from breaker to common on SW-1, red and white connected to travelers, black nutted to black going to SW-2 common.

2. The white wire of the 12-2 from panel to switch is cut short (to connect to the 12-2 black going to light) near the top of the inside of the panel and isn't long enough to reach the breaker (a little over halfway down the panel). Is it ok to extend the white wire to the breaker and if so, should I use white or black colored wire?

I hope those were both clear. Thanks again for the code reference.
 

Stuff

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1. Either way is fine as there is no real standard. That is what makes troubleshooting so difficult.
2. You are in the US so you can use a wire nut to extend. In this case you would use black as you are no longer restricted to a cable assembly. I did say that it was ugly as you have an unusual situation.
 
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