ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area lit'l help

owner wants to fix it himself so won't see it, but he says it only has two 14/2 nm cables at each light... a 14/3 at the upper switch, and a 14/2 and a 14/3 nm cable at the lower box, one of them is the line in... we assume that the two 14/2's are going between the lights

It sounds as though this might remain an unsolved mystery then, but we can still conjecture.

If the 14/2 at the lower switch box is hot and neutral in, then the 14/3 going out must carry the neutral and two travelers. There would have to be another junction box somewhere if this is the case.

Could it be that the 14/2 at the lower switch is not actually hot and neutral but a
switch loop? (I don't suppose you can remember the connections, can you?)

I can see a scenario where power enters one light fixture box on a 14/2, there is a 14/2 run between the lights, and the other 14/2 at the second light is the switch loop down to the lower switch. The 14/3 then runs directrly between the two switches.

With this physical arrangement of cables the lights could only end up being in series. Replacing the 14/2 between the lights with a 14/3 would allow proper operation.

But as you said, you'll probably never know.

it would be fun to figure this out, so i may volunteer some time on this one just for fun