# Diagram for 3 way ceiling fan light switch



## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Ceiling fan light 3 way wiring problem*

I'm trying to wire two 3-way switches to the light fixture on a ceiling fan. One switch is a Cooper over/under Duplex switch with the top being a single pole switch that controls the fan and a 3-way switch on the bottom for the light. The other side of the room has your standard 3 way toggle switch. Power is coming into the duplex switch side then to the fan/light and on to the 3 way toggle switch side. *No problem with the fan switch*. Below is how I wired the light. I can turn the light on and off at the right side switch (toggle) and then and only then can I turn off the light at the duplex switch (bottom 3 way). When I turn the light off at the right side switch (toggle), I cannot turn it on at the duplex. How can I rectify this situation without going from switch to switch to light? I wired the 3 way switch on the Duplex side the same as this attached diagram. Black wire from the right side 3 way toggle switch is attached to the blue/light wire in the fan.
I attached the white wire coming from the left side duplex switch side to the Common white wire on the fan, which I believe is common to the circuits for the entire fan.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

The diagram you show is correct, if if doesn't work:

You wired differently than the diagram

Or

You have a bad switch.

Check the terminals on the 3 ways and be sure you have correctly id'd the commons.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

What cable did you run between the double switch and the light? You need four wires + ground to make it work properly


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

joed said:


> What cable did you run between the double switch and the light? You need four wires + ground to make it work properly


I do not see the need for a 4th wire. He shows the neutral connected to the light and the hot extended to the far end switch common. Plus the 2 travelers.

The need for a 4th wire would only be to comply with NEC 2011 and have a neutral in the far end switch box.


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## RAUL HIDALGO (Nov 19, 2012)

most likely one of the travelers is miswired in rare ocasions its a faulty switch


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

If the push in 'back stab' holes were used---some times they don't line up with the colored screws---causing a miswired circuit


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

the diagram is correct...cannot say that about the wiring your location though.

The diagram below does not show ground wire for ease of drawing


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

rjniles said:


> I do not see the need for a 4th wire. He shows the neutral connected to the light and the hot extended to the far end switch common. Plus the 2 travelers.
> 
> The need for a 4th wire would only be to comply with NEC 2011 and have a neutral in the far end switch box.


He has a second switch in the first box to control the fan. You need a fourth wire for that.




> One switch is a Cooper over/under Duplex switch with the top being a single pole switch that controls the fan and a 3-way switch on the bottom for the light.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

Joed,

I assumed he was only showing us the wiring for the light. He did say "*No problem with the fan switch". *

Poster, did you run another cable for the supply to the fan?


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## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Diagram on how to wire 2 - 3 way switches to a ceiling fan*



joed said:


> What cable did you run between the double switch and the light? You need four wires + ground to make it work properly


I ran 14/2 wire to the first switch, 14/3 to the fan and also to the second/regular trip switch.


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## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Diagram on how to wire 2 - 3 way switches to a ceiling fan*



RAUL HIDALGO said:


> most likely one of the travelers is miswired in rare ocasions its a faulty switch



Thanks!! I will check my wiring again (4TH OR 5TH TIME) and I may also replace the 3-way trip switch as advised.


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## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Diagram on how to wire 2 - 3 way switches to a ceiling fan*



rjniles said:


> The diagram you show is correct, if if doesn't work:
> 
> You wired differently than the diagram
> 
> ...


I will completely go through my wiring of these switches and then swap out the last 3-way trip switch. I hope this works because I haven't been able to see the obvious.


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## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Diagram on how to wire 2 - 3 way switches to a ceiling fan*



rjniles said:


> Joed,
> 
> I assumed he was only showing us the wiring for the light. He did say "*No problem with the fan switch". *
> 
> Poster, did you run another cable for the supply to the fan?


Yes I ran a 14/2 wire from the top single pole switch to the fan black wire. As I stated, the fan works just as it is supposed to with the single pole switch.


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## k_buz (Mar 22, 2012)

Ok, lets get specific here...

You ran a 14/2 to the stacked switch.

You ran a 14/3 from the stacked switch to the fan box.

You ran a 14/3 from WHERE to the other switch box? This is the important information. If you ran this cable from the fan box to the 2nd switch box, then you will need another wire.


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## k_buz (Mar 22, 2012)

I see you added some information. Do us a favor...post a list of each cable you used from where to where for both switches.


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## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Diagram on how to wire 2 - 3 way switches to a ceiling fan*



k_buz said:


> Ok, lets get specific here...
> 
> You ran a 14/2 to the stacked switch.
> 
> ...


14/2 power in to the Cooper over/under switch
14/2 from the top single pole switch to the fan (black wire)
14/3 from the bottom 3-way switch to the light in the fan (blue wire)
14/3 from the light (blue wire) in the fan to the 3-way toggle switch
In the Cooper over/under box I wire nutted the 3 white wires together (14/2 power in, 14/2 out to fan and 14/3 out to light) and then connected them to the white Common wire in the fan (only one white wire in the fan unit)
The red wire coming from the stacked Cooper switch was wire nutted together at the fan and passed on to the 3-way toggle switch

I hope this makes sense!!! If there is something else I need to do, please let me know.


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## k_buz (Mar 22, 2012)

This is what you should have...


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## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Diagram on how to wire 2 - 3 way switches to a ceiling fan*



k_buz said:


> This is what you should have...


I printed out your wiring diagram and will compare it to how I actually wired the light on Monday. Thank you VERY much for this information.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

The drawing above will work but does not meet code. You must use the black or red coming back form the switch as the connection to the light blue wire.


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## k_buz (Mar 22, 2012)

joed said:


> The drawing above will work but does not meet code. You must use the black or red coming back form the switch as the connection to the light blue wire.


You are supposed to tape the white wire black. I did forget to add that in my "cleaned up" drawing.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

Thats true, but you can not have 2 whites connected to the light, even taped.
You would need to connect the white to the black or red and feed the light with black or red.


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## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Diagram on how to wire 2 - 3 way switches to a ceiling fan*



jbfan said:


> Thats true, but you can not have 2 whites connected to the light, even taped.
> You would need to connect the white to the black or red and feed the light with black or red.


I understand the diagram and will try it on Monday. I do have the light in the fan wired differently and hopefully that is why the over/under switch appears to be cancelling out the 3-way toggle.


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## Aurora64 (Nov 18, 2012)

*Diagram on how to wire 2 - 3 way switches to a ceiling fan*



k_buz said:


> This is what you should have...


This wiring diagram did the trick. Hooked the wires up just as shown, turned the power back on and the 3-way switches work just as they are supposed to.
I cannot thank you enough for this professional advice. You are definitely a life saver!!

Thanks again,
Aurora65


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