# switching question, please help!



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

You've got one too many 12/3s, to start with.


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## highlandele (Aug 9, 2008)

too many? there is one 12/3 coming from the switch to the jbox


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

Sounds like a 4way to me.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

mattsilkwood said:


> Sounds like a 4way to me.


Sounds like a junction box.
Power in/out
A 12-3 to each 3 way
A 12-2 to the light.

Correct?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

highlandele said:


> too many? there is one 12/3 coming from the switch to the jbox





highlandele said:


> .........
> 2 12/2 MC's (one for power in, the other is power out to another box)
> *2 12/3* MC's (one going to each switch)
> 1 12/2 MC that goes to a light.............


Bold is mine.

I'd say it's a 3-way-4-way-3-way too, John & Matt. Power & SL at the 4-way.


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## luminous (Sep 27, 2009)

your feed coming in and going out are those are a gimme,the neutral from light goes to the neutrals,the hot from the light goes to one blk wire from a switch,the other blk from switch goes to hot,your travelers go together red/wht,,or atleast i use red/wht as travelers,and your done,,,still dont see,just draw it out on paper,it will make sense


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## oldschool (Aug 2, 2008)

how is it too many 12/3's ?

looks like one to each switch(2)

its just two dead end 3 ways


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## highlandele (Aug 9, 2008)

JohnJ0906 said:


> Sounds like a junction box.
> Power in/out
> A 12-3 to each 3 way
> A 12-2 to the light.
> ...


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Sorry.

I saw the opportunity and I took the shot.

:laughing:

....I'll get something real next


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Let's not confuse the OP by offering 160 different methods of hooking this up. As long as the first drawing is NEC compliant, let's let him run with it. :whistling2:


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

You have a box that has a feed, a leg, and two three wires.

1) Put your hots in and out together. (location 1)
2) Put your neutrals in and out together, including leg neutral.
3) Feed white wire of one three way (location 2) hot. (reidentify)
4) Land blk & red of SAME CABLE on 4-way
5) Land blk & red of OTHER 3 WIRE (location 3) on same 4-way
6) Land white of THAT cable to the leg wire. 
7) Put a greenie on
8) put plate on

9) Whites on common in other two switch locations (reidentified)


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Let's not confuse the OP by offering 160 different methods of hooking this up. As long as the first drawing is NEC compliant, let's let him run with it. :whistling2:












No it's not channel 11, it's a giant "PAUSE" button.
:laughing:​


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## oldschool (Aug 2, 2008)

he didnt say anything about 4 ways

i think he has a junction box, and two dead end 3 ways


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Celtic said:


> No it's not channel 11, it's a giant "PAUSE" button.
> 
> 
> :laughing:​


 
Whew! For a minute there, I thought Porky Pig's nose was cyanotic! :laughing:


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

oldschool said:


> he didnt say anything about 4 ways
> 
> i think he has a junction box, and two dead end 3 ways


 
Could be, but IMO he's thinking a switch goes there. IF you're right, and no switch is there, simply repeat all steps listed above but wirenut the red & black travellers. The rest is the same. You're right, it could be either. But 
I assumed he knows if he's at a switchbox or junction box.


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

I guess that's the question. Are we talking about a switchbox or a jbox.

I've heard lots of people call a 3way a 2way and a 4way a 3way.


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## oldschool (Aug 2, 2008)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Could be, but IMO he's thinking a switch goes there. IF you're right, and no switch is there, simply repeat all steps listed above but wirenut the red & black travellers. The rest is the same. You're right, it could be either. But
> I assumed he knows if he's at a switchbox or junction box.


you could be right
i thought in post #9 he confimed it was a junction box


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## oldschool (Aug 2, 2008)

i would hate to see that many Mc's in a switch box:blink:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Mebbe this will help:










Just parallel your power in/power out MCs, and image another MC going to the lamp instead of it being installed on the j-box.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

oldschool said:


> i would hate to see that many Mc's in a switch box:blink:


 
4X4 with plaster ring


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## highlandele (Aug 9, 2008)

ya its definitely just a "j box" not a switchbox


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

highlandele said:


> ya its definitely just a "j box" not a switchbox


You've been given all the info you need in post 12&16
12 for switch box
16 for junction box


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## oldschool (Aug 2, 2008)

480sparky said:


> Mebbe this will help:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hey Highlandele

you cant ask for any better than this


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## highlandele (Aug 9, 2008)

mcclary's electrical said:


> You have a box that has a feed, a leg, and two three wires.
> 
> 1) Put your hots in and out together. (location 1)
> 2) Put your neutrals in and out together, including leg neutral.
> ...


thanks for the complete info, but this j box is for two 3 way switches, not a 4 way switch, the box has: 12/2 for power
2 12/3's (one going from each switch to the j box)
1 12/2 that goes from the box to the light


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

highlandele said:


> thanks for the complete info, but this j box is for two 3 way switches, not a 4 way switch, the box has: 12/2 for power
> 2 12/3's (one going from each switch to the j box)
> 1 12/2 that goes from the box to the light


 
then use post 16

wirenuts go in place of 4 way


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

I made a little drawing to but mine looks like my 5 year old drew it.:laughing: Good work ken.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

mattsilkwood said:


> I made a little drawing to but mine looks like my 5 year old drew it.:laughing: Good work ken.


 
I didn't draw it... I just linked to the pix I found on a website.


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

480sparky said:


> I didn't draw it... I just linked to the pix I found on a website.


 I hoped you didnt draw it, to draw that good that fast would make you a tool.:thumbup:


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

i hate romex!!!!


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## highlandele (Aug 9, 2008)

*think i got it!*

so this is what ill do, correct me if im wrong..


put my hots (in and out) together
put my neutrals (in and out) together, along with neutral to my light
one of the whites from 12 goes to my power
other white goes to black coming from fixture
travelers (red and black) go together, color to color

am i right? thanks for everyones help!


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

highlandele said:


> so this is what ill do, correct me if im wrong..
> 
> 
> put my hots (in and out) together
> ...


 Yep, that will work.


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## highlandele (Aug 9, 2008)

thanks matt, then for the switches, white goes to my common on each switch (re-identified as a hot) right?


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

highlandele said:


> thanks matt, then for the switches, white goes to my common on each switch (re-identified as a hot) right?


 Yep.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

sparks134 said:


> i hate romex!!!!


Fantastic!

What other pearls of wisdom do you have to share with us today? :laughing:


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## luminous (Sep 27, 2009)

You know what a local hand and a three way switch have in common?


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## luminous (Sep 27, 2009)

It takes two travelers to make him work.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,just a little joke for all my brothers,


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

luminous said:


> .........just a little joke for all my brothers,


luminous, ladies and gentlemen!

He's here all week, and two shows on Saturday! Give him a big round of applause, have a safe trip home, and don't forget to tip your wait staff!


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## luminous (Sep 27, 2009)

guess i've been traveling too long,,sure wish i had local hand jokes


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## luminous (Sep 27, 2009)

never there long enough to learn any


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