Help Wiring Up GE Zwave 5-way switch

Not new to using/installing GE Z-Wage Switches (probably installed 80 or so over the last couple years), but ran into something today that I can’t quite figure out.

There was a 5-way switch wired up to control the stairwell lights. In the old wiring configuration, it looked like there were 2 4-way switches and two “end” all wired together. One of the 4-ways in hot and send power to the other 4-way. So, I did what I normally do. Wired all of the load and line wrres together with a nut, except for the one with the true hot wires. Then ran travelers between everything.
So, when I turned any of the switches on, the main switch would just start turning on and off repeatedly. I’ve been trouble shooting and have it down to just the main switch wired up. The other 3 outlets aren’t connected to any switched and none of their wires are connected to anything. So I have the main switch wired up with no travelers and just the power and neutral. When I turn that one on, it just turns on and off rapidly. Click - click - click - click. Not the LED flicker that people get. Like full on/off every second.

I thought the switch might be faulty so I switched that one to a simple switch and installed a new one in the 5-way location. New switch had some behavior, other switch worked just fine in new location. I just can’t figure out what would cause the switch to turn on and off rapidly like that on its own without an travelers connected or anything…

With 3, 4, 5, etc way switches the thing to pay attention to is the actual 3 way switches. The ones with 3 wires. On those switches you will find a screw that is a different color, usually bronze or black. On one switch you will have the load to the fixture and the other you will find the line from the breaker. It’s easy to figure out line by removing this wire from the switch and testing which one is hot. Hopefully in that box you will find a neutral and that switch location will be your master smart switch.