New to inovelli 3 way switches


Hello,
Can someone give me a hand? Installing a bunch of inovelli red switches, I’m good with basic single pole but three way confuses me.

Attached are the pictures of both old manual switches I’m replacing.

I understand I can use the inovelli in just one, and keep the old toggle switch on the other side with some configuration.

I looked at the wiring diagram web page, it looks like option 4 is my configuration? I am thinking the picture with the Tide in the background is the switch I need to replace with the inovelli?

You will need to post some better pictures. Pull the switch and whatever other conductors you can out of the box and take pictures so that you can see all of the connections to the switch and inside of the box as well.

When you post the pictures, name the boxes.

Also, it’s clear that you are replacing the left switch in the Tide box. The other box is not so clear. Is the other switch the one on the right?

Does this help?




No, sorry. Can’t see into the boxes.


Does this help?

I’m not Bry, but my guess is you need to pull the stuff out more on switch 1 and better lighting in the back of the box for switch 2. He needs to be able to easily trace the wires that are connected to each switch inside the box and where they go. He’s a wizard with this stuff, but the key is giving him really clear photos so there is no rats nest of wires.

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I get it, not easy to see when not in front of the box. Does this help?

I used a tester with power off to light. Switch 1 pic only the one wire is hot. Switch two both wires are hot. I assume the switch two would be the one i need to replace because the line is coming in there?

Switch one, all wires seem to go hot when power is on.



BTW, thank you for the help both of you.

Tried putting the new zwave switch, and replacing switch2. No luck.

It looks like switch1 location might have the neutrals in that box. It’s still hard to tell what wiring is in the boxes.

Here are more pictures which might help. I tried installing inovelli red on both sides of this configuration and it is not working like a 3 way should. It gets power and I configured it, but the dumb switch side always cuts power to the inovelli switch.

On a side note, I installed a inovelli switch in 3 way configuration in a different location and worked as expected.

Do these pictures help more?



You’re getting better, but you have to understand that we have to trace from the switch to the back of the box. That means zoom out a bit so you can see everything. TBH, your boxes are a mess, which isn’t helping.

For example, move that wire-nutted white to the left so it’s not covering the other conductors. If the box is dead, don’t be afraid to pull things out and rearrange them so you can see everything.

Some questions:

  • Do either of the switches have a black screw for one of the positions? It looks like all brass from what I can see

  • The white conductors wirenutted (and in the way) on Switch one. Are those conductors connected to both switches? Can’t tell since you’re zoomed in

  • When you throw the breaker, is EVERYTHING in box boxes dead? Or are there two branch circuits (i.e. breakers) in these boxes?

  • What is that loose white in the back top right of Switch 1? Can’t see where it’s coming from

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Haha, I also said huh? There is a white wire and black wire in the box that go to nothing. I imagine remodeling happened at some point and they just left these wires in the wall? Quality.

The white wire you asked about is going to both switches. The switch on the Left side is an Aux Switch from a different zwave switch.

I think I’m going to call an electrician. I’m looking at a different 3 way wiring in our mud room currently, they have a white wire running to the black common screw on the “dumb switch” side. Everything i read says the black wire should go to black common screw. Guess I’m over my head with this houses wiring/remodel history.

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There is some strange wiring going on. Switch 2 box has that romex in the middle that appears to have the neutral cut off. The black wires goes to a white wire “markered” black. That might be the switched wire going out to the load but where’s the neutral for the load?

That taped up connection is blocking the wiring too much, and I can’t see where the wires go from the romex in the box to the switch to tell for sure what’s going on.

That is probably your best bet as I don’t think we’re ever going to get a good look in pictures. Plus I have this feeling that some testing is going to have to take place to determine configurations. I see a number of weird things going on there, but no sense in elaborating since you’re going to get someone to go hands on.

Let us know how you make out!

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