I’m having a devil of a time identifying the wiring in my old and remodeled house. For this previous working 3-way light branch I have three conductors (and only three conductors) coming in to both switch boxes. I believe I’ve identified the traveler yet one box seems to have two conductors that measure 120V to ground.
I’m at a loss as to how to go about sorting out what’s going where and what the eventual wiring configuration needs to be. Any advice for how to proceed would be super appreciated. My multi-meter and Fluke toner are at the ready!
Since you only have 3 conductors (exclusive of ground) at each switch box, that is a non-neutral with power to the light box. The 3-wire (if you’re using Romex) from each switch box goes back to the light box. It looks like this:
This is a non-neutral because the neutral stays at the light box. The hot is routed (typically over the black) to one switch box. Two travelers from the box then travel back to the light box, pass through (i.e. wirenutted to the other 3-wire) which wind up in the other switch box.
The line (hot) in the “first” switch box will be on the black screw. The load in the “second” switch box, typically the black, will also be on the black screw.
The first testing step is to remove the conductors from both black screws. Remove both before testing. Only one of them will be hot. Once you figure out which is which you can figure out how to place the Inovelli and the Aux. I can help if you need further assistance.
I’ve identified the hot line in that “first” box. Is it correct that the traveller should have no voltage while the load line, tied into neutral at the light, may have floating voltage?
I’ve dug up this image from other parts of the community, which I’m assuming is what is the correct final state.
Non-hot conductors in 3-ways are almost always going to have some inductive i.e ghost voltage. You can disregard that. You’re just looking for the one true hot . . . the one that identifies with a non-contact tester and is a ture 120 VAC.
The drawing you posted is sort of correct although it may be confusing to some because the left switch is going to be an Aux.
Based on either drawing with the Line initially going to the “right” box, which one do you want the Inovelli in?
I think I just painted myself into a corner, lol. I know I just asked which box you preferred the Inovelli in, but I think the Inovelli has to go into the left Load box.
If you wanted the Inovelli in the right Line box, you would have to send the hot (for the Aux), the traveler (for the Aux) and the Load to the other switch box. There are only two conductors going to the left box, and this would require three. To do this, you’d have to do some rewiring at the light.
If you want to do it without rewiring at the light, then use this:
No, the dashed line is the white. It is connected to the 2nd hole on the Neutral terminal on the Aux. This is actually the hot line. (The Aux needs a hot in a non-neutral configuration, so the Neutral terminal gets a hot.) The white conductor carries the hot over to the Inovelli to go into the Line terminal. You’ll notice in my drawing a bit of black on the white conductor by the Inovelli, simulating a black piece of tape on the conductor sometimes placed to signify it is hot.
The load conductor will be whichever one is connected to the black screw on the dumb switch. If you still have the dumb switch connected in the Line box, one of the travelers in the Load box will be hot. Figure out which one that is and carefully touch it to what you believe to be the load. The light should light up.
