On 06/26/2013 09:32 AM, dpb wrote:
On 6/25/2013 3:26 AM, nestork wrote:
...

3. Now, just turn EITHER one of the two three way switches on the end
upside down. That way, when it's toggle is in the down position, the
light will be off, and flipping the toggle of ANY other switch will turn
the light ON.

...

set up all your switches so that the power goes through all the top
terminals when the toggles of the two three way switches are up, and
through all the bottom terminals when the toggles of the two three way
switches are down (and you may have to turn some 4 way switches upside
down to ensure they're all oriented the same). In that situation, with
the toggles of both 3 way switches on the end in the down position, the
light will be ON. By turning either three way switch upside down,
having the toggle in the down position will interrupt voltage getting to
the lamp, so that with one three way switch upside down, ALL toggles in
the down position means the light is OFF, and flipping ANY switch turns
the light ON.

Hope this helps.
...

It doesn't, really...

You also have to add the condition that he also never uses the other
switches than the particular panel location in question to control the
light as would be normally done--for example, use one near an entry door
to turn on as entering and another near the exit door to turn off as
leaving. As soon as that is done, he's now got a case where one's up
and one's down and the light's off again. As the pattern ensues of
more-or-less random movement between locations, the states again become
also, more or less random as to which is up and which is down when the
light is off.

It's just not possible to have it wired conventionally no matter what
the initial configuration is w/o adding very heavy constraints on usage
and retain the possibility that turning any one switch in the down
position turns off an on light--the one closest by at the time may
already be 'down'.

--

Just came across this thread...

I remember switching the travelers on the 3-way switch in a friend's
condo's bathroom (there's a door from the bedroom hallway as well as
from the main entrance as there's only one bathroom) so that it would be
possible for both switches to be down when the lights are off. (of
course, it's also possible for both switches to be *up*, and I had to
explain that to her...)

I actually get it. I (and my friend) must have some light form of OCD.

nate

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