GE12722 and GE 12723 Missing Line Wire

I am watching this video to help me install a 3 way light switch setup (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx1luE9llSQ. I have the 12723 (add-on) and my load switch junction box that it will go into has 4 wires. (black, red, white, ground). I do not have a line wire in the load switch junction box. When I connect the wires to the add-on switch (load switch) as described in this video, I have one black wire left over and nothing to tie it to as per instructions at 6:45 min. I have determined that this wire is the traveler wire from the line switch (12722) however. Thus when I connect the wire to the load terminal per 5:28 min it becomes live at the load switch.

I feel like I need a special wiring instructions to complete this install. When i connect the old switches back up, the system works perfectly.

I did place the load switch black wire in line with the white wire on the neutral terminal. The line switch is terminated per the instructions of the video. I have full functionality of the line switch, however the load switch can only turn on the lights, not turn them off.

Thoughts?

Load Switch

Line Switch

Line Switch Junction Box

On your load switch, take that black wire out and short it with the other black wire with a wire nut :slight_smile:
Your add-on switch only needs the red traveler wire and the white neutral wire.

Unfortunately there isn’t another black wire for me to put a wire nut on. The wires you see are all I have. :frowning:

Sorry Nick, i just skimmed through your message and read you mentioned you have an extra black wire and looked at your picture and thought, take that black wire out of the switch and put it on the extra black wire.
Colors aside, whatever was on your original 3 way switch besides the traveler, you short those two and find the neutral wire which is usually white and usually not hooked up to the original switch and use that along with the red traveler.
If you only have a total of 3 wires in that junction box then I really have no idea, sorry :frowning:

Look at some of the 3 ways on this site and figure out which configuration is your 3 ways first before switching it to the z-wave switches. You could have one that the GE switches will not work without doing some rewire at the light fixture box… By just looking at your pictures. I wouldn’t trust the colors.

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US code does not mandate colors, and you can see all kinds of weird things. Including a little bit of tape at one end of the wire of a different color. Sometimes people will just grab the last piece they have in the box and use that. So you need to test the circuits to make sure you know exactly what each line is doing.

If you don’t know how to do that, bring in an electrician.

As Ray mentions, there are least eight different ways to wire a three way set up, and the GE switches only work with some of them. So first you need to figure out what you have, and then you need to figure out how you’re going to get to where you want to be from where you are. It’s not always as simple as just swapping out the nonnetworked switch with the networked switch. :sunglasses:

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I believe Option 4 best describes my situation. I have two overhead ballasts in the kitchen (two separate light fixtures) that turn on at the same time if either switch is activated. Upon further review, the line switch in #4 (left switch) and the load switch (right switch) have the correct wires connected.

Any more thoughts?

Where you are putting the AUX switch… is there a bunch of white wires nutted together? If so, then I think we can make this work.

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Hi,

I tried to install these switches yesterday and I found myself with the same kind of problem. Looking at this site http://www.easy-do-it-yourself-home-improvements.com/3-way-switch-wiring-diagram.html I saw that I have the option 3 situation. Is there anything that can be done to have both switches working normally? Could I change something at the light fixture that would fix the problem?