3-way switch illuminated when off??

J

js5895

Guest
Hi,

I have a 3-way wall switch that lights when the load is off.
It somehow seems to work with one wire or in series with the load.
how does that work? I understand basic electrical but, this is weird.

Thank you.
 
a single AC phase by it's self can't power anything, may it be an AC or
DC circuit, right?
 
I find that strange, because, won't the load's resistance dim or
brighten the switches neon lamp. Or would if the load was a receptacle.
 
I tried connecting a meter, in voltage mode, and it acted weird see:
http://home.nycap.rr.com/joshs/threewaywire.bmp
I also connected the meter to the line, and just one screw and it
lit!!, but very dimly.

Thanks.
 
There is no bulb, the switch isn't wired up, it's in my hand right now.
I did a test on my desk with a digital clock, by wiring it normally,
hooked up the travelers and tested it with the load connected to
the common, then the line conected to the common and then the
neon stayed lit, when the switch was off, BTW, I'm setting it up
with one neon switch in my dark hall way, and one non-neon, 3-way
switch in the house. I just wanted to know how a switch can light
up inside, with no neutral connection, because it's a switch, and light
up and be off at the same time, FYI, I changed the picture:
http://home.nycap.rr.com/joshs­/threewaywire.bmp

Thanks.
 
Oh, sorry, here:
http://home.nycap.rr.com/joshs/threewaywire.bmp
 
I have the meter in voltage reading mode, not current mode, ouch!, lol.
I was testing it the night I got it, and forgot the load, and it was
lights out. When I have it in voltage mode it's in a complete circuit.
I had it in current mode, line to each screw on the switch but,
making sure it's wasn't a complete circuit, that's when it dimly lit,
which was weird, since it wasn't a complete circuit, but it only did
this once, I tried it again and nothing happened, it could of been
some anomaly from the no load incident or, because it's new.
I updated the image to show the common point, and where the switch
is sending power, here:
http://home.nycap.rr.com/joshs/threewaywire.bmp

Thanks.
 
3 way switches have 3 terminals: a common and two non common. The
common is wired to the load or to the hot. The two non commons are
wired between the 2 switches via two wires, usually black and red. When
the load is activated there is no potential between the common and non
common 1 (shorted) or non common 2 (no connection), nor between the two
non commons 1&2 (one is active the other no connection) When the load
is off a potential appears between the two non commons 1&2 since one
will carry the hot and the other will be connected to neutral through
the load.
The neon and series resistor will be connected between non common 1&2.
Typically they draw .5 to 3 ma so when you connected your meter it
caused the neon to light but dimly. The resistor is usually 19k to
220k.
Richard
 
Well I don't want you people hacking up your stuff or hurting your
selves,
just so I can see how something works. I herd of horror stories of,
meters blowing up because of high voltage or the meter not
being on the right setting, scary. I have a Fluke T5-600 and a
cheap $10 DMM, any time I mess around with 120VAC or
higher, I use the Fluke. In my picture, I did connect my meter in
series with the switch, I connected the meter to the screw that
was switched off and, in setup A the neon glowed very bright like,
a small night light and flickering like a candle flame but, in setup B
very dim, couldn't even see it, and like I said earlier, I connected
the meter to the line and then to one screw and it lit?. The reason
why I wanted to know how it works is because, until a week ago, I
didn't even know these switches existed because, I know pilot
switches have a neutral for return and they function when there
turned on but, this is totally opposite, and wouldn't something in
series
would make the bulb lose voltage.

Thanks.
 
Cool I like that tester. It just hit me to go to the manufactures site,
hello?,
and I found a wiring diagram of how it works, I had a hard time reading
those ACSII diagrams, you guys were right, see:
http://www.levitonhelpdesk.com/catalog/images/wd3wlh.jpg

Thank you, for all your help.
 
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