Skeezix
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2011
- Messages
- 83
- Reaction score
- 10
I have a local utility box mounted on a wall inside the front door. It contains a single pole switch (#1) that controls a light outside the front door. The box also contains a 3-way switch (#2) that, together with a third 3-way switch (#3) some distance away, controls a light inside the front door. All switches have worked normally for the past 35 years.
In this description I won't talk anymore about switch #3 or its wiring because it is in a remote utility box and I have not removed its striker plate.
I was going to replace switch #1 with a timer switch but while I was doing that the wife came in and read me the riot act and after that my mind went to mush. So now I'm in the process of putting everything back together the way that it was to start.
The Setup
The Problems
a) In the attached diagram red wires are connected to the the switches but in my setup there is no continuity between the red wires, so I don't know where they go.
b) The stray white wire was connected to switch #2 but I can't remember where. If I recall correctly, there were two black wires connected to the single-pole switch.
c) One of the black wires goes to the recptacles in the other room but I can't remember which wire.
d) I have no idea which of the black wires is connected to the circuit breaker and it will be a big job to pull all of them out of the utility box to test. The 3-way switch has no markings showing where the Load and the Line terminals. It just has the word "Common" at the terminal with the red wire.
I know this is a big can of worms but I hope somebody here can help me out.
In this description I won't talk anymore about switch #3 or its wiring because it is in a remote utility box and I have not removed its striker plate.
I was going to replace switch #1 with a timer switch but while I was doing that the wife came in and read me the riot act and after that my mind went to mush. So now I'm in the process of putting everything back together the way that it was to start.
The Setup
- Five romex cables enter the local utility box. Each romex cable has a black, a white, and a ground wire coming out of it. Two of the five romex cables also have a red wire coming out of them.
- One romex comes from the circuit breaker behind the house. A second romex leads to the light outside the front door. A third romex leads to the light inside the front door. The fourth and fifth romex lead to the receptacles in a room on the other side of the wall.
- The grounds from all five cables are tied together in a pigtail inside the box. A bare wire from the pigtail goes to switch #1 and #2 ground connections.
- The white wires from four of the cables are tied together in a pigtail. A fifth white wire comes out of one of the cables that contains a red wire. That white wire goes directly to a terminal on switch #2.
The Problems
a) In the attached diagram red wires are connected to the the switches but in my setup there is no continuity between the red wires, so I don't know where they go.
b) The stray white wire was connected to switch #2 but I can't remember where. If I recall correctly, there were two black wires connected to the single-pole switch.
c) One of the black wires goes to the recptacles in the other room but I can't remember which wire.
d) I have no idea which of the black wires is connected to the circuit breaker and it will be a big job to pull all of them out of the utility box to test. The 3-way switch has no markings showing where the Load and the Line terminals. It just has the word "Common" at the terminal with the red wire.
I know this is a big can of worms but I hope somebody here can help me out.
Last edited: