Help with 3-way light switch

[Techhead]

I had asked my father to re-sheetrock my kitchen ceiling. I had a light fixture in the middle run by 3-way switches. He failed to re- wire it correctly and now there is constant power to the light and both switches don't work. The other problem is there are 4 wires running into the light box and I have no clue how to re-wire this. Not sure why there are 4 wires running into the ligh box on a 3-way switch.

[hrhofmann]

Didn't you suggest tagging the wires before removing them. Have you asked him exactly what he did so you can reconstruct the original? Do you know how 3-way swictches are supposed to be wired|? If you do, just disconnect all the wires and start over.

[metspitzer]

Tell us how many cables each box has and how many wires each cable has.

[metspitzer]

Actually, if you never messed with the switches just tell us how many cables are in the light box and how many wires are in each cable.

[metspitzer]

He most likely just put the black wire from the light back under the wrong wirenut.

IF you have a wire that is not attached to anything, it probably should go to the black wire for the light.

[John Grabowski]

It could be that the line and load are both in the ceiling box. If so the white neutral would go directly on the light fixture. The hot wire would connect to the wire going down to feed the switches, which should be a white. The black coming from the switches should get connected to the light fixture.

[franz fripplfrappl]

3-way switches use 3 wires. The 4th wire most likely is the neutral.

Here's what I'd do:

1. Turn off power.
2. Remove light fixture.
3. With power on again, determine your hot and neutral wires. Neutral should be white.

1. Once you know the hot and neutral, it's a matter of figuring out the other wires.

2. This is as good a diagram as any as to how a 3-way gets wired: When making connections, turn off power to wires. It's one thing to make a light bulb glow. Not so sure you want to light up as well.

[terry]

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Another question; did the sheet rocking work disturb (i.e. disconnect) wires in the ceiling box to which the light is wired? Did the sheet rocking disturb wiring in the two (so called 3 way wall switch boxes)? If some of the wiring was undisturbed it may simplify repair. e.g. some plasterers just remove switch plates and cut the sheetrock to fit around the outlet box thus not disconnecting any wiring! Often requires some careful measuring but simplifies! PS. If you don't understand wiring and many otherwise 'handy-people' don't, always tag or make a note and/or diagram of disturbed wiring. WITH THE POWER OFF!