I am trying to install two 3-Way Switches that are more modern-looking where there used to be older 3-Way Switches. The first thing I noticed is that on the new ones the two screws on the one side is on the opposite side of the switch. Now, at first I thought to just turn the switch around but now the screw on the other side is at the bottom, where on the old ones it was at the top. I do not know if this makes any bit of difference at all.
I should also mention that the old ones did not have a ground screw, nor do the new ones.
I should also mention that the old switches did not have black screws, so this is where the confusion is mostly coming from.
Of course in all this "screws on the wrong side" business, I can't tell which wires go on which screws and all of the tutorials and videos that I can find online show the wall without any drywall on it so you can clearly see where the wires are going, etc. From inside the box it appears that the wires going from the second switch to the light fixture are going down from the box while the wires from the first switch are coming from the top, again, going against all tutorials I've seen.
SWITCH #1 has a black, red and white wire all going to/coming from the top of the box.
SWITCH #2 has a white wire capped off with another white wire going from the top to the bottom of the box. There's a red and black wire going to the top of the box and a black wire going to the bottom of the box.
No configuration I try is working, the best I can get is where one switch seems to allow the other switch to work, if you get what I mean.
Do I need different switches, cause where I bought them the guy said they were 3-Way and other than the differences mentioned above, they are pretty much the same as the ones that were in the wall to begin with.
I hope I described this well enough
Thanks.
I should also mention that the old ones did not have a ground screw, nor do the new ones.
I should also mention that the old switches did not have black screws, so this is where the confusion is mostly coming from.
Of course in all this "screws on the wrong side" business, I can't tell which wires go on which screws and all of the tutorials and videos that I can find online show the wall without any drywall on it so you can clearly see where the wires are going, etc. From inside the box it appears that the wires going from the second switch to the light fixture are going down from the box while the wires from the first switch are coming from the top, again, going against all tutorials I've seen.
SWITCH #1 has a black, red and white wire all going to/coming from the top of the box.
SWITCH #2 has a white wire capped off with another white wire going from the top to the bottom of the box. There's a red and black wire going to the top of the box and a black wire going to the bottom of the box.
No configuration I try is working, the best I can get is where one switch seems to allow the other switch to work, if you get what I mean.
Do I need different switches, cause where I bought them the guy said they were 3-Way and other than the differences mentioned above, they are pretty much the same as the ones that were in the wall to begin with.
I hope I described this well enough
Thanks.