On Feb 10, 7:42 am, Doug wrote:
Replacing a single light fixture that's controlled with two switches.
The light box has a standard black/white/ground supply wire. While
installing I found that the white wire was actually hot (and marked
with black tape) and the black was neutral. The only issue was the
only way I could read 120V from the hot wire was to ground the
circuit. This seems odd to me as none of the three way wiring
diagrams I've seen seem to require the neutral being grounded at the
fixture. The reading from hot to neutral was 60V - not sure if this
means anything or not.

Is this OK or is there something I need to look into here?

Thanks
Doug

Doug-

IMO you need to look into this a little.


The wring to the first switch box should be an un-switched hot
(black), an un-switched neutral (white) & a ground wire to the switch
& the box (if metal) .

The wiring from the first switch box to the second switch box should
be two switched hots (black & red or re-indentifed white), an un-
switched neutral (white) & a ground wire to the switch & the box (if
metal) .

So one needs 4 conductors (including the ground) between the two
switch boxes....here's where some people either get confused or
cheat. Ideally you use a three wire romex (black, red, white,
ground) or a double run of 2 wire Romex.

From the second switch box to the fixture box you should have a
switched hot (black), an un-switched neutral (white) & a ground wire
to the switch & the box (if metal) .

The setup you describe (if I'm understanding it) seems a little
off.

Is the circuit wired with Romex or single conductors (knob & tube OR
wire in conduit)?

Maybe the circuit existed as a single switch & the three way part was
added later.

Be careful, because of the limitations of 2 wire Romex systems, some
people take shortcuts on rewiring or additions that can leave you with
less than safe situations.

per John's comments a light bulb is often better than a meter

The 60v reading might be a result of a poor connection somewhere or a
digital meter giving a false reading reading.


cheers
Bob