Problematic 4way switch circuit

tackle77189

So I have a 4 way switch circuit that is giving me some problems. I have included a diagram attached. What is really weird is that the first light is not coming on at all, and the 2nd light is functioning exactly the way I would expect a 4 way switch circuir to work. Anyone have any ideas?

I thought maybe it was a bad wire in the fixture but it test OK on both a continuity test w/ my multimeter and when hardwired into the circuit by-passing all the switches. I don't see how it can be that the lower light is functioning w/out the first light working, given that the hot feed passes through the first light.

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stickboy1375

The first light is wired is series... if in fact that IS how it is wired... Who wired that?


You don't have enough conductors to make that work properly, you would need to run a 4 wire cable starting at the first light, through the last light...

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tackle77189

No idea... lights haven't worked right in years... i'm trying to help my in-laws figure it out.. How would you fix it?

kbsparky

TRY this:

Unscrew the bulbs in the first light .... does that make the 2nd one quit?

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stickboy1375

If it is truly wired the way your diagram shows, you need to rewire.

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tackle77189

can you sketch me out a diagram of how it should look? This one is beyond my expertise.

hammerlane

try this for reference. The 3-way switch on the right is where power is coming in at. The 3-way on the left has the feed to the bank of lights. The common terminal is the top left of each 3-way switch.

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stickboy1375

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DannyT

the feed from the panel needs to go directly to the first 3 way switch. the black from the first light has to connect to the black from the second light or to the same wire at the second 3 way. with the wires you have now you can't do it properly. if you tie the 2 blacks together at the first light the second light will work fine. in your drawing the first light has no neutral connected to it.

stickboy1375

Not sure if you have access, but the easiest solution would be to run a new 2 conductor cable from light to light....

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frenchelectrican

This is useally a best answer to deal with multi switch/ luminaires locations.

Merci,
Marc

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The answer will be based on NEC ( National Electrical code ) or CEC ( Cananda Electrical code ) or ECF ( Electrique Code France )