View Single Post
  #15   Report Post  
Ray K
 
Posts: n/a
Default

JK wrote:

Okay. I'm lost. Each switch has three wires: Red, Black, and White. The
receptacle has three as well (red, black, and white). On the receptacle, the
red is attached to a brass screw, as is the black, with the white on the
opposite silver screw from the black. And I undid the hot tab. One of the
plugs is not tied to a switch; that is, it's always on. The plug with the
red is tied to the switches.

On the switches, the red wire is attached to the colored screw (the one that
is not copper, I believe it's labeled "common"), and the white and black are
connected to the other screws.


Go here,
http://home.howstuffworks.com/framed...wayswitch.html

and look at the diagram for wiring a 3-way switch. Imagine the light
bulb replaced with your duplex outlet. Incoming power (black wire) goes
first to the always-on outlet. Then, the incoming power is spliced to
the white wire that goes to the common of the first switch.

Note that the common in the left switch is fed by a white wire, and the
common in the right switch connects to a black wire that eventually
makes it way back to the switched outlet. Note the splice of black wires
in the left switch box. Also, in the schematic where it says Power
Source, the top wire is white and the bottom is black.

Cheers,

Ray