I have a GE zwave dimmer + 3 add-ons. Lights turn on from Box 1 main switch but none of the other addons are working at all. Greatly appreciate any recommendations how to make this work.
Box 1. GE Dimmer
2 black line/load connected to switch
1 red traveler connected to switch
1 neutral connected to switch
First box receiving power from breaker
Box 2. GE addon
2 black line/load pigtailed
1 red traveler connected to switch
1 neutral connected to switch
Box 3. GE addon
2 black line/load pigtailed
2 red traveler connected to switch
1 neutral connected to switch
Box 4. GE addon
2 black line/load pigtailed
2 red traveler connected to switch
1 neutral connected to switch
Box 5. No switch
2 black line/load pigtailed
1 red traveler capped
This one powers the lights.
No neutral here. Not sure if not having this traveler connected is causing the others to not work?
Capped red traveler and pigtailed the 2 black which does allow lights to turn on from Box 1
Do you happen to have pictures of your old dumb switch setup? I need to see pictures of all the wires in the box to help. Often line and load are in same box but with how 3/4 ways work one is sent to another box via black wire connections as you describe.
If you don’t have pictures of the old setup let’s start with a clear picture of box 1 with your current start switch. I need to see all wires coming into the box.
I would also expect each Aux to have 2 reds and 2 white wires connected to send traveler and neutral to each daisy chained Aux switch.
Thanks for the reply! I did take pictures prior to installing these new ones but unfortunately only 3 out of 20 pictures saved on my phone for some odd reason. They were really old Lutron toggle switches that don’t require neutral. I replaced four other 3 ways in the house without a hitch so I also thought this one was going to be a piece of cake. If these photos aren’t good enough, just let me know and I can pull all the wiring out tomorrow and take better photos in daylight.
Got it figured out. Was missing a traveler on the 2nd box, was falling thru bottom of junction box and hiding. Went ahead and tied them up better. All working now. Thank you for your help!
Wow great to hear I was going to ask for further pictures because I was having a hard time seeing all the wires in the back of the box. Was trying to figure out where load and line were to confirm wiring.
Is there a reason you don’t have an Aux here? The GE switches support 4 Aux switches. One of the “black” wires is wrapped up in tape and is a white.
I had to tie those 2 blacks together to get power to the light. So I basically thought I had a traveler and no neutral at Box 5. How would I plug these wires (2 black, 1 red) into the GE addon? Thinking of it, I have another room in the house that is the same exact way, I put a blank plate over it for now as I thought I needed to run a neutral there too. that box also needed the blacks pigtailed to power the light. I’m guessing I can fix both of these boxes once I understand what I am missing. Thanks so much
Based on your last picture of box 5 above that bottom “black” wire is wrapped in electrical tape and is a white wire. Basically you have a single 14-3 (red, black, white + ground) in this which is typical.
The way 3/4/5-way circuits work is there will be 2 3-way switches (3 wires) and N number of 4-way switches (4 wires) in between, In your case with 5 boxes you had 2 3-way switches and 4 4-way switches.
One of the 3 ways will have load and the other has line and its hooked up to a different color screw or wire. Often load and line are in the same box and it is “sent” to another switch because of the way 3+ way circuits work. Hence box 5 with that white wire wrapped in black tape.
If you don’t mind being patient (since working via community chat can be difficult) we can get this sorted but you will need to take some more pictures so we can figure out where line and load truly are located.
Here is what I am looking for:
14-2 (black, white, ground) wires coming into the box where the black wire is hooked up to a switch.
Ignore the 14-3 (red, black, white, ground) wires for now as those are wires connecting one box to another.
If one of your boxes just has 2 14-3 wires ignore it and post here which ones those are.
For example I believe Box 2 and 3 might be ones like this with just 2 14-3 wires.
This means Box 5 can be ignored too because it only has a single 14-3 in it.
Boxes 1 and 4 are suspect. I need you to follow every wire currently hooked up to the switch and tell me where they are going to whether it is a 14-3 or a 14-2 and try to get clear pictures of where those wires are going.
Once we have all this sorted I will have you change some of the wiring that is hooked up to the switches so that we have a neutral at all switch locations including Box 5.
Thank you for all of the info, I will get you these new photos in the AM. I know Box 4 also had a black wire with electrical tape, would that be something in particular you are looking for?
Box 4 appears to be the one, there is a lot going on in there but I did see the 14-2 on far right. It was providing the white and connecting 2 blacks (far 2 right in photo) which I assume are line/load.
First set of cables is for a different 3way (chandelier)
Second set looks to be providing traveler to Box 5
Please let me know if this helps. Happy to take more photos if needed.
Regarding the two black wires on right side of the picture with a wire nut, please confirm something. Is one of the black wires going to the 14-2 and the other going to a 14-3?
Where is the light fixture in relation to this box vs the others?
Since there is only 1 14-2 in this box and hooked up to the switch you don’t have both line and load in the same box. I will need to see box 1 wires too please.
