3-way switch, multiple lights, power at light


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Old 09-17-16, 11:40 AM
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3-way switch, multiple lights, power at light

This feels like a dumb question and I should be able to logic my way to an answer but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it.

I'm installing 4 can lights on a 3 way switch. The power is at the light. The wire runs have already been made, but I'm not confident about the connections so I'm referring to this wiring diagram:



However, this diagram only has 2 lights and I'm not sure what the connection should look like to the 3rd and 4th lights... just having a hard time visualizing the flow of electricity in each switch position.

I have 3-wire cable between the 4 cans, and between the 2 switches; and 2-wire cable from can #4 to switch #1.

I'm assuming that light #2 in the diagram is actually how my light #4 will be wired (i.e.), I connect light #4's black wire, incoming red wire, and outgoing white wire (taped black) together.

So then at light #2, I'm assuming the light's black wire connects to the incoming red wire and the outgoing red wire, and same at light #3? Is that correct?

I'm further assuming that the black wire from the power source just goes from black to black to black etc. all the way to the first switch, bypassing all of the lights' terminals.

I much appreciate any help here; thanks in advance.
 
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Old 09-17-16, 11:46 AM
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You've done a lot of assuming and wired it wrong.

You have the power coming in at A light.... call it light #1. Both your three way switch cables should go to this light. Then you'll use a two wire cable to go from light 1 to 2 to 3 to 4.


I have 3-wire cable between the 4 cans, and between the 2 switches; and 2-wire cable from can #4 to switch #1.
Can you clarify this so we can get a better idea what you did ?

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Is this how the cabling was done ?
 
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Old 09-17-16, 08:24 PM
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PJmaxx, yes, your diagram is exactly what I have.

Why do you say that's wrong? Are you saying that the diagram I posted is wrong, or that my assumptions about the connections are wrong?
 
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Old 09-17-16, 08:27 PM
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The actual colors used for the common and the travelers can be changed if you used different colors.

By code.... any new switch locations are supposed to have a neutral present for the addition of electronic controls. Your wiring doesn't allow that.

The black is just carried thru all the lights.
Each light will connect to the white and red.

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Last edited by PJmax; 09-17-16 at 08:52 PM.
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Old 09-19-16, 02:45 PM
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Thanks much PJmax. Maybe I didn't describe it well but I think your second diagram is what I was trying to describe. Happy to have this validation though. Thanks again!
 
 

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