3 way switch removal

I have a 3-way running a yard light on a shed. From past experience I know that this is a bad wiring job as the 3-way uses the white from the power to the shed circuit for the return (both circuits were wired with 12/2). The two circuits are well separated in the main panel. I discovered this years ago by getting shocked from one of the circuits where I had pulled the breaker.

Question: Can I remove the switch at the shed by: a. Disonnecting the white jumper from the light to the shed power circuit. b. Removing one of the black/red wires from the switch and turning it into a white (properly marked) connecting it to the white from the light. c. At the house end, remove the same wire from the switch and connect it to the white in the box?

???

Am I missing something?

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K
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Do you mean: One light is controlled by two 3-way switches, each switch getting its power from a different breaker? Maybe I'm thick but I don't understand you.

Pop

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Reply to
Pop Rivet

No: Circuit one: (breaker 1) panel to shed providing shed power to lights/outlet 12/2 Circuit two: (breaker 17) Panel to 3 way switch in house - 12/2 to 3 way on shed - black to yard light - white from light to white in circuit one.

Whoever did this used the black and white from the 12/2 as the travelers in the 3-way circuit.

This AFAIK is not code for shared neutral plus you can get a shock from the white if working on circuit 1 with breaker pulled but light is on in circuit 2. That is how I discovered the problem.

Basically I want to remove the 3 way on the shed and convert the 3 way in the house to a 1 one way doing away with the shared neutral problem.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

I love it when a good plan goes bad. Pulled the cover on the switch box to re-wire. It has 2 switches, one 3-way running the yard light and one to a porch light. I was counting on the power coming into the box then out to the lights...nope, it is on the end of the porch light run so there is no neutral available. I guess I just live with a bad wiring job or run new wire to the shed.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

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