How to get Power to a 3-way from a 3-way?

Tline

I have two 2-gang boxes with 2 3-way switches in each box. Only gang box-1 has 14/2 power going to it. I am trying to get power to the other set of lights, which has a switch in the same box as the power. There are two 3-way switches in each gang box. The both set of switches allow for the overhead lights to be turned on/off from two locations.

Each switch in each box goes to a set of four lights. Here is the wiring scenerio:

Gang Box-1
14/2 - Power
14/2 - Going to Lights for Gang Box-1
14/3 - For lights in Gang Box-1
14/3 - For lights in Gang Box-2

Gang Box-2
14/2 - Going to Lights for Gang Box-2
14/3 - For lights in Gang Box-2
14/3 - For lights in Gang Box-1

Thanks for your help,
Tline

Stubbie

If I'm understanding you correctly this would be a good way. I didn't show the connections to the other light fixtures but I'm sure you can figure that out.

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220/221

Clarify/simplify please.



Is this what you have?

Gang Box-1
14/2 - Power
14/2 - Going to Lights A
14/3 - to Gang Box 2
14/3 - to Gang Box-2

Gang Box-2
14/2 - Going to Lights B
14/3 - from Gang Box-1
14/3 - from Gang Box-1


If so, you will have power and neutral in Gang Box 2.

If you are trying to get unswitched power to the lights, then no.

Tline

Stubbie and 200/221, thank you for responding to my question.

I am not sure what unswitched power is. I am trying to have both sets of switches work separately from each other. Another words the lights in the back of the room will turn on/off with one set of switches and the lights in the front of the room will turn on/off with the other set of switches. Gang box-1 one is in the back side of the room and gang box-2 is in the front side of the room.

The only differnce between the two gang boxes is Gang box-1 has an extra 14/2 that cares the power. I am looking at the diaghram that Stubbie sent. I see where the white and black wires go for each set of lights, I see where the white and black wires go for the power, I see where the red and black wires go from the 14/3, but it only shows one white wire for the 14/3, which is pigtailed from the black power wire in what I concider gang box-1. Is the white wire from the other 14/3 wire a neutral?

It looks like the lights black wire go on two of the common screws and the black power goes to one common screw and one white (colored black) from the 14/3 wire goes to the last common screw. The red and black wires from the 14/3 wire goes to the terminal screws. Just don't know where the last 14/3 white wire goes.

Thanks again for your help,
Tline

Stubbie

Yes its your neutral to gang box 2 so you can connect the neutral of the switch leg to the incoming power neutral via the white in the 14/3.

AllanJ

(Unswitched power refers to the power feed cable or power source or the line going back to the breaker panel.)

OT: "Unswitched power" can be relative, for example you have a power cable going out to a detached garage but there is a "master" switch for it in the main house. With respect to feeding other switches controlling lights, etc. in the garage, the feed cable is considered unswitched power. Whereas when referring to the master switch, the cable going out to the garage is switched power.

The neutrals for all of the lights, receptacles, etc. served by a particular power feed must be ultimately connected only to the neutral in that feed cable.

Now a question, which I think the OP was asking:

He has two 14-3's going between the boxes. One is for travelers and neutral for Light B wired to box 2 (left side of diagram above). The other is unswitched power and travelers as a switch loop for Light A wired to box 1. Over at Box 2, may the unswitched power (white with black markings) from one 14-3 and the neutral (unmarked white) from the other 14-3 be used for other purposes such as a Light C with pull chain?

Tline

I want to thank everyone one for there help. I had a chance to do the job today and it worked great! Stubbie, the diaghram worked great!!!

Tline

Stubbie

Cool.... like the others I wasn't 100% sure if that is what you wanted. It wasn't the best of diagrams but was all I had time to put together at the moment. Anyway I'm glad it worked.