I believe I answered that question in my last message.
The box that the smart switch is in has the constant power. However, he says I have irregular wiring in that it appears both the smart switch box, as well as dumb switch #2 (see picture) at the end of the circuit, both feeds the lights. Smart switch is at the beginning of the circuit and has constant power, and dumb switch #2 is at the end of the circuit and both seem to feed the lights. Dumb switch #1 is in the middle of the two switches and simply acts as a pass through.
Given the fact that it appears I have two different boxes feeding the lights, does that change anything regarding what John said? I’ve forwarded what John said to my electrician but haven’t heard back yet.
Sorry, but can’t get my head around how that would work, even with dumb switches. I’d have to see it drawn out.
You can certainly have the line and the load in the first box, even in a 4-way. By when you do, you typically send the unswitched (constant) hot to the last box via the white. The switched hot then makes its way back to the first box and ultimately the light (load) via the toggling switch action. As a result, you don’t have a neutral in the last box (at least with traditional 3-wire wiring), so I’m not sure how you can have a load there as well. I’m not saying it’s not possible, I’m just not sure how that can be.