Electrical question, 3 way switches

[Scott Brandstetter]

I have two 3 way switches that control recessed lights in the kitchen. Long story short is I am converting the lights to become automated (controlled by voice) and I need to install a single pole switch to control the lights. How can I bypass one of the switches to use a single pole, if possible at all. Thanks in advance.

[Rich Riddle]

It's fairly easy. Your current configuration has two three-way switches.

SWITCH ONE

One of those three way switches has a hot lead coming from the circuit breaker. The other two wires are "travelers" that go to the other switch. You wire the "hot" wire to the single-pole switch on the "line" side of the switch. Then select one of the two traveler wires and attach the selected wire to the load side of the single-pole switch. You cap the second "traveler." The second wire will NOT be used.

Use a wire-nut to place all the white wires together inside the box. Use a wire-nut to place all the ground wires together inside the box.

SWITCH TWO

The second three way switch you have should have one lead going to the load (lights). REMOVE THE SWITCH. The other two wires go back to the first switch and are the "travelers." Where you once had the second switch, you take the "traveler" wire that you wired from the first switch and wire-nut it to the "load" wire (the wire that goes to the light). You also cap the second unused traveler wire. You will NOT have a switch in this box any longer but cannot "cover" it with sheetrock because it has wires with wire-nuts inside the box.

Use a wire-nut to place all the white wires together inside the box. Use a wire-nut to place all the ground wires together inside the box.

It's less complicated than it sounds.

PLAN B:

If you can get a "hot" wire in the box where the "load" wire to the light is located, you simple cap all the wires (separately) in the un-used box, but that option is less likely.

[Scott Brandstetter]

Thanks Rich, really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

[Rich Riddle]

Scott,

You're welcome. When are you going to start your project?

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Scott, very good timing for your question. I was thinking to do same, only stop me all of my switches - 3-ways. And Rich thank you for thorough explanation.

Ed.

[Scott Brandstetter]

We started slowly....the wife asked me before the holidays if I knew much about the Amazon Echo. I thought it was basically a music player but wanting to get her something unique for Christmas read up on it, really quite fascinating.

This is not meant to create a debate, but for us, this is really a cool thing. I'm still new into it but this darn thing can automate an entire house. A little background, I travel almost every week for work and we live in the country on a couple acres. I've always made my wife's safety a priority with her getting a concealed carry, built a safe room in the house surrounded by 6 inches of concrete on every side, and a light switch next to her bed that turns on all lights outside that light up every inch of our land just to name a few.

What I've discovered with this new device is that it can control some many things via voice activation. Is the garage door opened, turn on these lights, lower the thermostat, let's you know if a door was opened, etc. It will even turn on lights in the house and raise/lower the temp when you get within the mile range you set...for instance, now that it gets dark early it will automatically turn on certain lights, that we set, to turn on when my wife is within 5 miles of the house. It will also tell us when a door has been opened as well as what energy useage is on a particular appliance.

I'm all over the board on this device because I am still learning but the options, and the future capabilities seem endless. If anyone is interested, feel free to PM me, I have learned a lot and found many ways that this will save us a lot of money, make life much more convenient, and add a layer of safety I never dreamed about. I love technology.


Scott,

You're welcome. When are you going to start your project?

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

I agreed about endless future capabilities, unfortunately so many devices used different protocols to communicate to each others. Even with Echo you will need another hub - Wink, or Samsung, or many others - to complete some tasks.
I am learning too, reading a lot. But as everything on net - not everything so easy as 1-2-3. And technology still in disarray.
Good luck in your journey.

Ed.