Smart 3 way switch troubles

[JasonK]

I started replacing my old switches with smart switches and everything was working great until I started to replace the 3 way switches.

These are the switches I’m using.

Main switch:

c98c2262-5715-4250-ad74-024ac89c8284.pdf

Add on switch:

334dd232-b90b-4001-93de-5a489bda7e9d.pdf

Only problem is I didn’t realize the 3 way switches in my house only has a neutral bundle of wires for one switch, the other switch has no access to a neutral and both switches require a neutral.

The box with a bundle of neutral wires also has a bundle of black wires (there are 3 switches in total in this box) and connected to the old switch is a red wire connected to the common terminal, another red wire, and a white wire (this is the only hot wire while the light is off.)

In the box without a bundle of neutral wires there are only 3 wires (not including the ground wire) and they are all connected to the old switch with a black wire connected to the common terminal (hot), a white wire (also hot), and a red wire (not hot).

I have a few questions if anyone can help. First of all which is the line switch? I’m assuming it’s the one with a bundle of neutrals in the back.

Is there anyway to get this setup working without having to run new wires?

Assuming this setup won’t work how would I go about just converting the main switch to act as a simple two way switch and I can just put a blank face plate over the other switch? I don’t really need both switches in this particular location, although it would be nice if I can.

Lastly is there another smart 3 way switch solution out there that works with SmartThings that I can use with my current setup? I wouldn’t even mind if the secondary switch with no access to a neutral requires batteries or something.

Thank you for any help.

[jhamstead]

I created an FAQ for installing GE switches in a three-way setup. You only need the neutral and line in one of the switch boxes to get them to work. Let me know if you have any additional questions and/or take pictures of your current setup for community input.

[FAQ] GE 3-Way Wiring

I’ve decided to put this FAQ together to help those with questions about installing GE 3-way switches. Definitions of terms: Line: The hot wire from the breaker (usually black) Neutral: The return wire for circuits (usually white) Load: The wire that will be hot when the circuit is completed to your light (usually black) Traveler: In existing 3-way wiring, this wire toggles hot between two switches. In a smart switch 3-way configuration, a smaller charge is looped through the add-on switch. Some things to know: 3-way wiring for smart switches is different than standard 3 way wiring. You cannot use dumb 3-way switches with most smart switches (You must purchase the matching GE add-on switch to wire with your GE smart master switch). If the line is wired into the light fixture, you …

[JasonK]

Awesome, thank you very much. I have some questions I’ll ask over in your FAQ thread.