Troubleshooting two 3-way switch setups

[Thatguy]

This assumes two travelers between the switches.

Assign each switch a number.
With switch #1 & switch #2 down, light is on or off?
With #1 up & #2 down, light is on or off?
With #1 down and #2 up, light is on or off?
With #1 & #2 up, light is on or off?

In principle, with the answers filled in, the problem(s) can be pinpointed.

Test cases welcome. . .

[sakkyoku]

This assumes two travelers between the switches.

Assign each switch a number.
With switch #1 & switch #2 down, light is on or off?
With #1 up & #2 down, light is on or off?
With #1 down and #2 up, light is on or off?
With #1 & #2 up, light is on or off?

In principle, with the answers filled in, the problem(s) can be pinpointed.

Test cases welcome. . .

off
off
on
off
Looks like I'm the first test case. How do I fix it?
Thank you in advance.

[hj]

It appears that one of the travelers is connected to the common on one of the switches, therefore there is only one configuration where both are "on" to let the lamp operate.

[Thatguy]

Sw#1 is working like an on/off switch when #2 is up. When sw 2 is down there is no continuity.
Either a traveler is not connected or it's like HJ said.

Set both switches down so the controlled lamp is off.
Assuming two travelers, like in most of the diagrams in this link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch
if you run a wire from the common of one switch through a 100w incand. bulb to the common of the other, the test light and the controlled (incand.) light should go on, equally faintly if they are both the same wattage. You can then safely put a piece of wire in place of the test bulb and you should get full brightness on the controlled light.
If not, the wires feeding the common switch terminals are incorrect.

You'll need an extension cord and clip leads.

Never and I mean Never try anything that comes close to this. This is very dangerous and should never be attempted

Thatguy this will be deleted should you ever post anything like this again. If you disagree PM me and we will discuss the safety issues involved.

[sakkyoku]

I had switched a traveler and the common on both switches.

[golong27]

next case...

off
off
off
on

I'm replacing the old dirty switches with new white ones and have two different 3-ways with the same behavior.

switch #1 is the end of the circuit and #2 is in the middle.

thanks in advance.

[Thatguy]

Check the switches using an ohmmeter as to operation and terminal labelling.

Check that the common switch terminals go to the right wires and not one of the travelers.

There is a slight chance that hooking up the switches incorrectly will damage a good switch so I'd run the light bulb test, but it is a bit inconvenient.

NEVER use a light bulb tester for checking voltages

[Donwe]

Ok, here's mine.

off
on
off
off

Thank you for your time.

[Thatguy]

Ok, here's mine.

off
on
off
off

Thank you for your time.

Assuming you have wired the switch common terminals [different color than the other two] and traveler terminals [same color] correctly, one of your travelers is open or one switch is internally defective in that there is no continuity between the common terminal and the traveler terminal when the switch is thrown to that position.
It's an SPDT switch.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Switch.svg.png

[Donwe]

Thank you that was very helpful.

[hj]

We do not know what the wire colors are in your circuits, but the hot and "hot" to the light go on the bright brass terminals. The travelers, which might both be the same color, but should be the only two left when the proper wires are on the common, attach to the two dark colored terminals. They can be connected to either one.

[Thatguy]

The travelers may have phantom voltages on them, so use a 120v incandescent bulb to check for voltages. Most testers will respond to phantom voltages.

NEVER use a light bulb tester for checking voltages

[Jim Port]

We do not know what the wire colors are in your circuits, but the hot and "hot" to the light go on the bright brass terminals. The travelers, which might both be the same color, but should be the only two left when the proper wires are on the common, attach to the two dark colored terminals. They can be connected to either one.

Normally the traveller screws are brass colored. The common is typically the dark colored screw.

[Donwe]

OK, so it was a bad switch, thank you again

Here's a better one, I have three switches controlling an overhead kitchen light, switch one is a three way and is where the circuit starts and I have confirmed the hot leg is connected to the common post, switch two is a four way, and switch three is a three way. the problem is switches one and two will only control the light if switch three is on, any ideas?

[Thatguy]

OK, so it was a bad switch, thank you again

Here's a better one, I have three switches controlling an overhead kitchen light, switch one is a three way and is where the circuit starts and I have confirmed the hot leg is connected to the common post, switch two is a four way, and switch three is a three way. the problem is switches one and two will only control the light if switch three is on, any ideas?

Post what you believe to be the schematic.