3-way switch & wiring issue

[pdxcav]

I just purchased a pair of ToggleLink's to replace 2 standard 3-way switches that control a ceiling light.

 

Into the installation, I discovered that this light circuit is wired with power going into the light fixture instead of into either of the 2 switches. Thus, there is no neutral wire in either switch location.

 

I assume at the minimum, I need to return the ToggleLink's b/c I can't use them for this situation & will probably need to buy a In-LineLinc Dimmer instead.

 

Have others run into this? How did you handle it?

 

While the In-LineLinc will give me remote ability to turn the light on/off, it certainly won't be convenient to not be able to turn the light on/off from the original switch locations.

 

Thanks in advance for any tips/suggestions.

 

Eddie

[markens]

Into the installation, I discovered that this light circuit is wired with power going into the light fixture instead of into either of the 2 switches. Thus, there is no neutral wire in either switch location.

You're right that this situation is more difficult. With power being fed to the fixture (and no neutral in eaither switch location), you need three wires from the fixture to the first switch and most likely only have two.

 

You can easily put an inlineLinc at the fixture since you have hot, neutral, and load all located there. But this also frees up your wiring so you can now use your toggleLincs at the original switch locations. Since the switches control the light virtually now (via the inlineLinc at the fixture), the red "load" wire is not needed on the toggleLincs. This frees up the white wire from fixture to switch1, and switch1 to switch2, which can now be used as neutral. Black wire is still hot. Red wire between switches is also unneeded (similar to diagram in toggleLinc manual). Viola, virtual 3-way switches which control your fixture as desired.

 

Might help to sketch this out. But it should work fine if you're able/willing to put the extra inlinelinc at the fixture.

 

--Mark

[pdxcav]

Thanks much Mark! This makes sense.

[skunkiechris]

If power is fed in at the light fixture, each three-way switch must have a total of three wires running to it from that fixture (one power and two load). The other option is to choose one of the switches, and re-purpose one of the load wires as a neutral. (The other two remain power and load.) You would need to change the connections at the fixture, and of course you should mark the wire you change so it's clear in the future. The second switch would not use the third wire, and would simply control the first switch.

 

One less device to purchase, and it eliminates trying to get the inlinelinc to fit nicely into the ceiling junction box...