Hello - Looking for assistance regarding a problem with my three way switch what was working over the past four months with no problems until this week.
I went to turn on one of the three way light switches and nothing happened. I went to the other three way switch on the circuit and noticed that the rocker switch was left half way between on and off in the middle. I switched it off and then on and the lights worked fine. It was not until i went to the original three way switch to turn the lights off and they just flickered and did not turn off. Also this switch does not turn the lights on any longer either when did for the last four months.
So, I went ahead and replaced both three way light switches with the exact same brand (Leviton) and model of switch, hooking up the wires exactly as they were before, but the exact same problem still persists. I then went one step further and tested all wires at each switch location isolating the hot (black wire) and the two (1 x red and 1 x black) trailer wires with my multimeter. I hooked up the hot to the common (black screw terminal on the switch) and the trailer wires to the copper colored screw terminals. I proceeded to ground the switch as well. For the other switch I did the same and but it shares a switch box with another switch so the ground is pigtailed in the back so no ground wire to hook up to this switch.. The problem is still the exact same.
Following this I proceeded to attempt to move some of the wires around (trailers and common) but this just made the light not turn on at all. The breaker is fine and the one switch location always is able to turn the light on or off but the other switch location just makes the lights flicker and not turn them off. The same problem switch location is unable to turn the lights on at all when they are turned off from the other switch on the same run.
I am pulling my hair out trying to figure out this problem since nothing changed in the wiring hookup and all the wires integrity are good and no damage exists that I can tell at either switch location or breaker. I also replaced both three way switches with brand new Leviton three way switches. Any help is very much appreciated. Thanks to all who read and or respond.
I went to turn on one of the three way light switches and nothing happened. I went to the other three way switch on the circuit and noticed that the rocker switch was left half way between on and off in the middle. I switched it off and then on and the lights worked fine. It was not until i went to the original three way switch to turn the lights off and they just flickered and did not turn off. Also this switch does not turn the lights on any longer either when did for the last four months.
So, I went ahead and replaced both three way light switches with the exact same brand (Leviton) and model of switch, hooking up the wires exactly as they were before, but the exact same problem still persists. I then went one step further and tested all wires at each switch location isolating the hot (black wire) and the two (1 x red and 1 x black) trailer wires with my multimeter. I hooked up the hot to the common (black screw terminal on the switch) and the trailer wires to the copper colored screw terminals. I proceeded to ground the switch as well. For the other switch I did the same and but it shares a switch box with another switch so the ground is pigtailed in the back so no ground wire to hook up to this switch.. The problem is still the exact same.
Following this I proceeded to attempt to move some of the wires around (trailers and common) but this just made the light not turn on at all. The breaker is fine and the one switch location always is able to turn the light on or off but the other switch location just makes the lights flicker and not turn them off. The same problem switch location is unable to turn the lights on at all when they are turned off from the other switch on the same run.
I am pulling my hair out trying to figure out this problem since nothing changed in the wiring hookup and all the wires integrity are good and no damage exists that I can tell at either switch location or breaker. I also replaced both three way switches with brand new Leviton three way switches. Any help is very much appreciated. Thanks to all who read and or respond.
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