Clearly you mistook either the common terminal location on the new switches,
or the old ones. Check them carefully again. You can't determine which is
common by it's physical position, comparing one switch to another. The
common terminal should be marked as such, or have a different color screw
than the other two. Some types of switches, like Leviton "Decora", it's very
misleading as to which is the common terminal


"dexteroc" wrote in message
ups.com...
I replaced the 3-way light switches in my house with newer ones. I was
careful to put the wires in the corresponding connector on the new
switches but it is not working correctly. The two switches operate one
light.

With the old switches, I could turn on and off the light from either
wall plate which would give me 4 different combinations. On/Off from
each wall plate. Now with the new switches, one works On/Off but the
second won't work unless the first one is in a certain position. If it
is then the second switch will work On/Off.

It seems like one is trumping the power over the other one depending
on the On/Off position but it should work the same as before.

There is a Common wire which I plugged into the Common connector on
both switches.
There is a Red wire which I plugged into the top of both switches.
There is a Black wire which I plugged into the bottom of both
switches.

Does this sound right?

Thanks!

Paul