Nice Troubleshooting A Three Way Light Switch

Check the operation of your light.

Troubleshooting a three way light switch. In this video i will show you how to diagnosis adn fix a three way that has been wired incorrectly. Remove the two 3 way switches so you can access the switch terminals. How to fix a 3 way switch problem.

Leviton s instructions for their rocker style 4 way switch will confuse people by how they call one pair of terminals in and one pair out. Remember three things while doing 3 way switch troubleshooting. The hot wire leading from the 3 way switch circuit will have no power since all power must travel through the switches.

The most common solution is to identify the wiring and reverse the incorrect configuration. They have these identified backwards but it doesn t even matter. In this case the traveler wire and load wire were swapped and repairing the circuit involved switching them back.

How to troubleshoot three way switches test a 3 way switch turn off power to the switches at the circuit breaker and using a tester make sure power is off. The two travelers are in the same cable with each other. The problem is generally caused when two wires are placed in the wrong position on one of the 3way switches.

After disconnecting all the wires from the switches and from the switched outlet s turn the power on and test the wiring at the outlet. Any pair of switch screws or dimmer s wires that are the same color as each other are for a traveler pair. I will be using a fluk.

One of the most common problems that homeowners face when tackling this project themselves is improper wiring which happens when the circuit wires are connected to the wrong screw terminals. If you have a split outlet follow the same 3 way switch troubleshooting as with a light fixture except you will need to determine which outlet is always on. It s incredibly easy to accidentally confuse the.