I have a recessed light at the top of my stairs that is wired to a light switch at the bottom of the stairs, and at the top of the stairs, and for some reason the light won’t go on, so I have to go up or down and flick the other switch, and sometimes go back down or up and switch the other one, and then it works. Any suggestions on what’s wrong and how to fix it?
Edited 4/23/2007 8:27 pm ET by Andy322
Replies
Probably a bad switch, or a loose wire on one of them. I'd replace both with new 3-way switches. Be very carefull to hook them up exactly the same as before, or you'll go mad trying to get them right again.
Definitely a problem with the 3-ways. Could be bad switch/loose wire as previous poster said, or switches were wired wrong at some point. Easy fix if you know how 3-ways work, not so easy otherwise.
Did it ever work?
There are lots of screwed up 3-way switch wiring out there.
This shows the basic logic of a 3 -way switch.
http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switchoutlet/3way/index.htm
And then links for the different way that it can be wired.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
yeah they did work once apon a time
Does either switch say FFO/NO on it?
If so, it's the wrong switch (single pole) and is installed upside down. Replace with 3-way.
I've seen a couple of occasions where a single pole was put in where a 3-way shoulda been. What did they do with the 3rd wire, you ask? They hooked it up to the 3rd screw, of course. You know, the green one!
Pete Duffy, Handyman
Be careful on three way switches.
The black screw is not always in the same location on these switches, it varies with the brand of switch.
As was said earlier it easier to use two new ones from the same company.
The black screw is not always in the same location on these switches, it varies with the brand of switch.
Yep, learned that one the hard way. Some things are best not learned by experience.
However, if one designs to construct a dwelling-house, it behooves him to exercise a little Yankee shrewdness, lest after all he find himself in a workhouse, a labyrinth without a clue, a museum, an almshouse, a prison, or a splendid mausoleum instead.
Parolee # 53804
sounds like a case of crossed travellers.
Bill asked the foremost question
>>> Did it ever work?
I'll wait till the OP answers this one. He hasn't read any of the replies past #2.
Yes, switches rarely go bad and when they do you can usually tell by the "feel".Most likely it was screwed up by someone replacing a 3-way with a single pole switch OR IT WAS NEVER WIRED RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE.Just replacing switches, randomly, just leads to more confusion.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Yes, switches rarely go bad and when they do you can usually tell by the "feel".
Have any support for that comment? I have replaced a lot more failed switches than any other component, and they often don't "feel" unusual (particuolarly the "soft switch" type of switch). If you look at the manufacturer's MTBF data, switches fail at least an order of magnitude more often than receptacles or breakers.
This makes sense, of course, since they have mechanical moving parts that are moved often. It's simply mechanical wear.
Aren't you going to blame it on the thermostat wiring ground out..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I assume you didn't provide any support for your statement because you don't have any? Perhaps you could check your facts before posting or indicate when your posts are speculation or opinion.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one.
Strange thing to be proud of.
Hmmm... OP has to either do up or downstairs to flip the other switch to get it to work... I'm with woodturner it's definately a switch but since both seem to be working, I still trying to narrow down the bad one... traveller and power wires crossed can't produce this situation.
(Now I'll switch from sarcastic mode to serious)
Woodturner, if you haven't already killed someone on this forum with your electric advise, rest assured one day you will.
"traveller and power wires crossed can't produce this situation"
Yeah it can and like BH said, very probable. I fix more miswired 3-ways than I do replace bad 3-way switches. Why? I have no idea!!!
Ed
I'm sorry.... you missed sarcastic mode.
ah. my bad. but then we've just met :-)
yeah they did work. I was gone w/ out a laptop