LZW30-SN 4-way Wiring Help

Switches Wiring Discussion
#1

Hi everyone, another “please help with my wiring” post. This isn’t my first wiring of smart switches (I have WeMo, GE Tapt, etc. where I have live-wired my 3-way smart lights to always be on), but it is my first trying to use the Gen2 Inovelli switches to just replace the load switch.

I suspect the original owner of the house was creative with their wiring, based on my previous experience. What I have is a 4-way wiring situation, where the switches are in 2-3 gang boxes. Those other switches in the boxes are connected to other breakers, which is making it complicated to track down, and I have the feeling the wiring colours were switched.

Attached are pictures of my existing switches, as I didn’t want to remove them and cause and actual issue until I was sure.

Switch #1, wiring comes out of two cables in the back of the box, but the bottom-left red is the only wire used from one of them (the white and black aren’t).

15805055545908668175705032114943
15805055545908668175705032114943.jpg1824×4000 1.78 MB

Switch #2, looks like a pure middle traveller, red/white coming out of two wiring cables in the back, no black.

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15805057128146844594640549100308.jpg1824×4000 1.74 MB

Switch #3, red/white/black all through one wiring bundle at the back.

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15805057791802142426019945693196.jpg1824×4000 1.77 MB

In all cases the gang boxes all have other switches connected to different breakers.

Any suggestions? I tried to match up to the wiring diagrams, but the best I can come up with is that switch #1 is the one I should be replacing, but the line or load isn’t connected to the old switch…

#2

I am not an electrician (nor do I play one on TV), but this is my best guess on your wiring:

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image.png1266×768 105 KB

#3

I think @jtronicus nailed it, or came close. (the green lines being the white wires).

What cannot be deduced by the photos is the wiring of the light, which “leg” of the light is being switched. Its shown above with the light connected to neutral (white) and power coming from the switches on the red.

However what I cannot see is if the black wires at switch 1 are connected or is the black from 2&3 connected to neutral @ switch 1, which would mean the light is powered at its fixture and neutral is supplied by the switches. This configuration is not the “standard” however given the OPs 2nd paragraph I thought it was worth mentioning.

John