Help with 4 way z-wave switch install

Basically I don’t have a neutral in the middle (4 way location) and the Leviton z-wave switches need neutrals. I tried to run one from the 3 gang light switch below (suggestion of visiting electrician), but this circuit has an AFCI in the breaker so it tripped and wont work (sucks, easy fix). So I need to get some advice on the currrent wiring and if I can rewire using the existing wire to get a neutral to the middle box.

I have a set of outdoor floodlights I want to control (on/off) with a z-wave switch. It is powered by a 4 way switched circuit with 3 switches:

Box 1 is in master bedroom and is the location of the line in (hot) from the panel. There are 4 sets of wires in the box, 3 14-2 (white, black, ground) and one 14-3 (white, black, red, ground). All neutrals wirenutted together. the line hot, plus two other wires, from two other cables (red and black) were wirenutted together also and hot when power turned on. i created pigtail for z-wave remote switch to connect to neutral.

Box 2 is in the kitchen and most used. this is the 4 way switch location in the original config. two cables come into the box, both 14-3 (white, black, red and ground). Both white wires have black stripes on them. the two red wires were wirenutted together and not connected to anything else. NO Neutral, which is the problem! when wires are bundled together in box 1, both white stripped and red wires were hot.

Box 3 is in garage, in 3 gang box with other light switches/circuits. 3 way switch in original config and (apparently) connects to load. This has one 14-3 cable with (white, black, red and ground), but white has black stripes. Has neutral available in 3 gang box and Icreated pigtail for z-wave switch. when box 1 bundle connected white stripped and red wires were hot, nothing when not bundled.

Pictures of all of this here

Questions:

This is not wired liked any 4 way switched circuit s I’ve seen diagramed on line. Can I reuse a wire to get a neutral to box 2…if so, how?

Not sure why the bundled wires are used in box 1 to power box 3, passing through the red wires in box 2. esp white striped wire in box 3.

You have the exact same setup as the one in this thread where I provided instructions on how to solve it. Your line and load are in your box 1.

Michael

Wow, I thought I’d never find an answer to this. many thanks. We are having a NYE party tonight so my wife asked that I put things back together so I fell back to the original, non-smart switch configuration (working fine), but as soon as I can this week I will test this out.

1 Like