Identifying the common wires. In this case the traveler wire and load wire were swapped and repairing the circuit involved switching them back.
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3 way switch not working. Disconnect all three wires or four if the outlet is grounded. 2 turn the power back on. There are a pair of wires that run between the two switches. When your three way light isnt working and you have ruled out problems with the bulb outlet cord and plug replacing the three way switch can be done quite inexpensively by any relatively handy. Usually when a 3 way switch fails lights can be toggled on and off at one switch but not the other. In the former case you may simply have a miswiring issue.
Touch the probes to the 3 wires removed from the switch until you get a reading on the tester indicating continuity. Follow these steps to find which switch is bad. Now using your multimeter you are going to determine which of the three colored wires is. Three way switches work by alternating the power connection between 2 legs called travelers. In the first 3 way switch box connect the pair of wires leading to the other box to the out pair of screws on the. There are many ways that a three way switch can be wired but usually power or the light fixture connect to the load side of the switch and traveler wires run between traveler screws on both switches.
These are the runners of the circuit. The simple trick is to rotate the three wires around the switch screws just like kids playing musical. In the latter one of the switches has likely gone bad. The third wire is the common wire that feeds the light fixture and is connected to the black screw on the switch. Repeat for the other 3 way switch box. Fixing a 3 way switch tips use a voltage tester to help with this job you just need to identify the continuous hot wire and the wire that goes to the light fixture watch the easy videos below be careful working with energized conductors click here to get tims free funny newsletter.
Toggle each switch until the light come on. Each switch powers one or the other leg at all times. You just need painters tape and a marker aside from your screwdriver and needlenose pliers. 3 install the first. If one of the two 3 way switches toggles the light s on and off the other 3 way switch has probably failed. Connect these wires to the switch 1 wire on each of the brass colored screws.
1 turn off the power to the circuit at the main panel.
Gallery of 3 Way Switch Not Working
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