[jcjst21]

Hello,
i was wondering if someone can help me.
I have two sets of a three way switch connected to single switches.
It is two lights that are at the top of my stairs and at the bottom of the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, I have a switcht that will turn on the downstairs stairway light and a three way that will turn on the upstairs light.
At the top of the steps it's vice versa where the single switch will turn on the upstairs light and to the right of it is the three way that will turn on the downstairs light.
The three way switch was initially not right where you had to flip the three-way at the bottom of the steps for the upstairs light to even work however that switch would not turn on the upstairs light. The single switch upstairs would have to be turned on the for the light to actually work.

I was wondering how the power black wire and the travelers would have to be connected to both switches to make this work where I can control the upstairs light upstairs with the single switch, but use the three way to turn on the downstairs light, and then vice versa downstairs where i can turn on the upstairs light with the three way, but also turn on the downstairs light with the single switch.

When I took out the switches to see what was going on, it seemed the black wire for power was attached to the single pole switch for the upstairs light and then attached also to the three way.

Right now, the upstairs light will only work if i turn it on with the single switch and the downstairs light will not work at all

Also FYI, this is old wiring so a ground wire is not present in this switch box.
Thanks,
Jessica

 

[joed]

All four switches need to be three way switches for this work properly.
The basic principle of the three way setup is that the power goes to the COMMON screw on one three way and the fixture power goes to the COMMON screw on the other three way. There are at least eight different configurations of how this can be setup depending on where the power and light connect into the system. The COMMON screw is the black one of the three.

If you can tell us about all the wires and connections(not grounds) in the switch boxes we should be able to assist you.

 

[jcjst21]

I can definitely do that for you. I will do that this evening right when i get home and reply back.

I do know that when i took off the switch plate and pulled out the switches. A black wire was connected to the single switch on the left, and then also connected to the three way on the right.
There was only one red wire which i thought was odd, or maybe since the wiring was older that it's appearance is different then more modern wires that i'm used to seeing.

 

[jcjst21]

Hello,
Sorry I didn't reply last night.

Opened up the switch box tonight.

There are 5 wires. 3 black and 2 red.

We actually connected a 3 way on the left with one black wire on the common and black and red on the traveler.

Another black on the common on the 2nd switch and red on the other.

The upstairs light works now with the left switch AND now it works when I try to turn it on from the left switch downstairs. Improvement from before. However the downstairs light is still no go.

I was wondering since the one black wire is extra long that it is used to power both upstairs switches and the other two black wires are travelers.

 

[gregzoll]

It is possible that there is a Switch leg and the power is feed from the fixture. You may want to grab a fox and hound set and use that to figure this out. Just make sure to turn off any breakers that feed any circuits into those boxes.

Of course one of them could be a 4-way switch.

 

[joed]

Another black on the common on the 2nd switch and red on the other.

You need a third wire for a three way.

 

[jcjst21]

I think we figured out what's happening in this switch box.
I think both the upstairs light and the downstairs light are on two separate three way switch circuits.
So we were thinking the second circuit is not getting power.
How do we power the other circuit with the black power wire, and we connect the black power wire for the switch box to both three way switches somehow? I'm not an electrician where i know about the circuits, but i'm versed in changing out switches and outlets with the basics.

One of the switches in my house had the black wire connected to two switches in the same box, where the black wire seemed to have an extension with a connector to make the wire longer.

 

[joed]

One of the switches in my house had the black wire connected to two switches in the same box, where the black wire seemed to have an extension with a connector to make the wire longer.

That would be the power wire. It needs to connect to the common screw of both three ways.

 

[jcjst21]

ok if that is safe to do then we will try that.
I think that is what's happening because the upstairs light works now if i turn it from upstairs and the switch downstairs, so i'm thinking the other switches for the downstairs light need power and it will be good to go.