i am wiring a three way circuit for a basement fixture to be controlled
from upstairs and down. I replaced the single pole switch at the top of
the stairs with a three way switch (#1), put a three way at the bottom of
the stairs (#2) and ran 14/3 wire between them. #1 switch is in a box that
has a 3 way switch already from a completely different circuit. I pigtailed
the hot wire from that switch to #1 hot. I connected the travelers to #1
and used the white wires that were pigtailed in the box from the other
switch,to connect the white wire from the 14/3 through to my new fixture.
Switch #1 and2 work perfectly, but now the other switch also turns the
light in the basement off when # 1 is on. what did i do?

It seems like you might have tapped off on of the output wires from the
other circuit rather than the true hot wire. This would cause you to
loose power when you flip the other circuit's switch. Try testing the
voltage on switch #1 while turning the other circuit's switch on/off.
Depending on who put the other circuit in, they may not have utilized
the correct color coding for the wiring. Hope that helps.

Mark
stinky673 wrote:
i am wiring a three way circuit for a basement fixture to be controlled
from upstairs and down. I replaced the single pole switch at the top of
the stairs with a three way switch (#1), put a three way at the bottom of
the stairs (#2) and ran 14/3 wire between them. #1 switch is in a box that
has a 3 way switch already from a completely different circuit. I pigtailed
the hot wire from that switch to #1 hot. I connected the travelers to #1
and used the white wires that were pigtailed in the box from the other
switch,to connect the white wire from the 14/3 through to my new fixture.
Switch #1 and2 work perfectly, but now the other switch also turns the
light in the basement off when # 1 is on. what did i do?

As already stated, I think you connected the new set of three ways to an
already switched leg of the other circuit. You may not have a "feed" from
that other circuit in that box. Why not use the existing feed that was on
the single pole switch previously?


"stinky673" wrote in message
news:47287f5082bd00ec464ff1c94f8ee198@homerepairli ve.com...
i am wiring a three way circuit for a basement fixture to be controlled
from upstairs and down. I replaced the single pole switch at the top of
the stairs with a three way switch (#1), put a three way at the bottom of
the stairs (#2) and ran 14/3 wire between them. #1 switch is in a box that
has a 3 way switch already from a completely different circuit. I
pigtailed
the hot wire from that switch to #1 hot. I connected the travelers to #1
and used the white wires that were pigtailed in the box from the other
switch,to connect the white wire from the 14/3 through to my new fixture.
Switch #1 and2 work perfectly, but now the other switch also turns the
light in the basement off when # 1 is on. what did i do?

http://www.electrical-online.com/wiringdiagrams.htm

http://www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_...ge_id=35720230


stinky673 wrote:
i am wiring a three way circuit for a basement fixture to be controlled
from upstairs and down. I replaced the single pole switch at the top of
the stairs with a three way switch (#1), put a three way at the bottom of
the stairs (#2) and ran 14/3 wire between them. #1 switch is in a box that
has a 3 way switch already from a completely different circuit. I pigtailed
the hot wire from that switch to #1 hot. I connected the travelers to #1
and used the white wires that were pigtailed in the box from the other
switch,to connect the white wire from the 14/3 through to my new fixture.
Switch #1 and2 work perfectly, but now the other switch also turns the
light in the basement off when # 1 is on. what did i do?

On 5 Nov 2006 05:05:21 -0800, "buffalobill"
wrote:


http://www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_...ge_id=35720230


Did you do this drawing? The red/white would look more accurate if it
were white/yellow. And the red/black should be red/yellow.

Interesting drawing. With graphics you can have more information of
what is going on.

I wish I someone would come up with a 3D graphic explanation of how
magnetic fields interact.

i replaced the existing feed with the 14/3, thinking i could use the power
from the other switch that was in the box. thanks for the help, i will try
your suggestions and get back to you.

mark you were right. i didn't tap off the true hot wire. I simply switched
the black wires and it worked. Its hard to tell what is what with that old
cloth covered wiring! thanks for the help!