3-way switch problems

allyour80211b · 2007-03-01T02:07:40+00:00

I have what seems to be something wrong with a 3 way switch on thelight at the top of my stairs. This light can be turned off/on fromthe bottom of the stair as well as from the top.I was replacing the fixture at the top of the stair and turned thepower off at the switch thinking that I would be safe to replace thefixture. After removing the screws holding the fixture to the ceilingI checked the light with my greenlee gt-11 voltage detector and wassurprised to hear the unit ringing. I broke out the DVM and sureenough 92 volts between the white and black wires to the fixture.Turning on the light the voltage goes to 120vac, off back to 92vac.So something seems very wrong, I went to the panel and turned off thebreaker and changed out the fixture. I am now glad I was lazy and didit the wrong way first.I don't understand why the incandecent bulb did not light at 92volts. I have replaced the bulb with a CF as that is what we aredoing throughtout the house.About the house:1957 cape 2 wire hot/neutral with no ground for all parts of thehouse. Any new work has been done with romex in proper gauges forcircuits.5 years ago we had the 100Amp fuse panel replaced with a 200 ampbreaker panel.Any common problems that might cause this?Am I using electricity even though the light is off?Thanks!e

Mar 01, 2007 21 Replies

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Terry 19 years ago

er....never mind. :) I totally spaced on that one. I confused your message with another thread I was following.

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Ralph Mowery 19 years ago

I am not sure what the greenlee is but if it is similar to the voltage sticks I have seen, somethink like a big ink pen where the thing glows if near an electric wire.

Just try rubbing it on your cloths and watch it light up from just the small ammount of static electricity.

Those things require a lot of expierance to tell when you actually have a voltage that is really connected to the power lines or just picking up some static or induced voltage.

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3-way switch problems

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