I’ve been doing a bunch of reading around here and elsewhere, and am still struggling with figuring out how to wire a GE 14294 and 2 GE 12723 z-wave plus switches. After spending several hours last night trying to figure it out unsuccessfully (my wife isn’t pleased), I really need your help.
Except in the 4-way switch the reds are swapped with white w/ black tape.
Based on this diagram, I don’t appear to have any neutrals from this circuit running to the 4-way and the last 3-way. Is it still possible to install these switches with this setup? Would it maybe include repurposing wires for the neutral from one of the lights that runs to the 4-way? There is a neutral bundle in the last 3-way box (it’s a 4 gang box, the other 3 switches are run off a different breaker) so I’m not sure if that could be used too?
There are approximately 6 led can lights running between the first 3-way and the 4-way.
First, relax! Tell your wife that you’ve engaged the collective intelligence of the interwebs. Either we’ll get you straightened out, or we’ll help you set your house on fire.
Just kidding, worst that could happen is a blown breaker.
I think.
Anyway, let’s not worry about that and instead focus on the task at hand. Yes, you’re going to need to repurpose some wires. My suggestion is that you take a look at this diagram. Notice that, unlike the way it’s currently wired, with one 3-way switch being the first on the circuit, the MASTER Z-Wave switch is going to be the first. Here’s what you need to remember: The “traveler” that goes to the add-on switches doesn’t actually carry a load. It’s basically just a signal wire to the master switch.
Okay, first, go to all the switch boxes and take pictures. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Your memory will not be as good as a picture if we need to backtrack later.
Then focus on getting the master switch working by itself. Wire up the master switch in the first gang box as if it’s the only switch. Get that working. This means that in the gang with the 4-way, you’ll need to bridge a couple wires without a switch. Then, once you get that, you can focus on adding ONE of the two add-on switches (in the gang where the 4-way is right now). After that, use the 14-3 line going to the last gang box to just wire the next add-on switch in parallel.
Haha, thanks for the response. I’ll def take pictures (should have last night when I had everything open). So if I install just the master switch first, do I have to do anything on the other switches (initially) to make it work?
What’s the 14-3 line going to the last gang box? The red that’s currently just capped at the 4-way?
Tips from me since I just did this in my whole house. In multi gang boxes the line was always coming from the black wire bundle in the box, the loads are not tied together and exit the box to the lights. The neutrals were usually tied all together at the back of the box.In my 3 and 4 way switch locations most had a neutral but at least one did not. However I was able to tie it to the neutral in the source boxsince I ended up with an extra wire at the addon switch (3 wire romex)
Hmmm, maybe? Looking at the original diagram you posted, there should be one cable, which I presume to be 14-3 (maybe 14-2?) heading to the last 3-way on the circuit.
