ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
1 members (Scott35), 260 guests, and 19 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#173935 01/23/08 08:52 AM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 55
U
Up2code Offline OP
Member
Hello All! Homeowner told a fellow electrician I know that he installed a few three way toggle switches upside down, and that he would not pay final bill until they were turned around properly. Without arguing too much, he did what owner asked, and got paid. Am I missing something here? Has anyone else out there ever come across "upside down three ways"?

Stay up to Code with the Latest NEC:


>> 2023 NEC & Related Reference & Exam Prep
2023 NEC & Related Reference & Study Guides

Pass Your Exam the FIRST TIME with the Latest NEC & Exam Prep

>> 2020 NEC & Related Reference & Study Guides
 

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
G
Member
What did he use to determine that they were upside down???
There's no text on the handle.

I prefer to wire mine so that the load is off when both handles are down, but that's just a quirk that I have. It's not required by NEC or anything else that I'm familiar with.


Ghost307
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 558
R
Member
Thats bizarre, unless what the homeowner meant was that to have the lights on both toggles "should" be up or both toggles should be down sort of thing?? Not that it all matters much but ya know how fussy / strange some people can be!

A.D

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 41
L
Member
So, what happens if both handles are down, lights off. Then, you go to one 3-way and turn the lights on - handle up. Then you go to the other three way, which is still in the down position, to turn the lights off? OOPS !! Handle is UP and lights are OFF !!! What's up with this???

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
Moderator
Originally Posted by Last Leg

What's up with this???


Whats up is they have to much time on their hands. smile

But regarless of what postions you put the switches over time when returned to 'all down' the load can always be 'off'.....not that I would care. smile


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 55
U
Up2code Offline OP
Member
Job security, I guess. Every week you would have to go back and turn half of them back around to satisfy homeowner. Homeowner said "That is how previous electrician installed them, and he knew what he was doing." We still joke about it. Just wanted everyone else's thoughts.

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
W
Member
Mount the 3 way switches horizontally. Then the issue of "up-side-down" goes away. laugh

Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 139
B
Member
Perhaps if you show the homeowner that Section 404.7 Exception No. 1 permits the three ways to operate in the up or down position, they will be less concerned.

They may be under the impression that up always means "on", and that down always means "off".


Bryan P. Holland, ECO.
Secretary - IAEI Florida Chapter
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 193
S
Member
We did have to come behind another electrician on a res job and clean up some stuff. They had wired the red and black from all the ceiling fans to the runners on 3way switches. Up you got the light, down you got the fan, never neither or never both. Maybe he wanted the fan up and the light down.

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
Originally Posted by wa2ise
Mount the 3 way switches horizontally. Then the issue of "up-side-down" goes away. laugh


But then you can argue about whether both switches left or both switches right is off, or whether one left and one right is off! grin

I've found the thing which confuses some people is where you have two 3-ways on a dual plate, e.g. for ceiling and counter lights in a kitchen which has two doorways. They sometimes can't grasp that depending upon the position of the switches at the other end of the room, there will be a time when you have to move one switch up to turn on a light and the other down.


Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5