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🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: Talldoode on January 09, 2010, 07:03:53 PM

Title: WS12A working, WS14A isnt
Post by: Talldoode on January 09, 2010, 07:03:53 PM

All,

Have two three-way switches I am replacing. The switch box has two black wires and a red wire (and a solid copper wire). I put a WS12A in one of the boxes - works great. I can dim, I can turn on and off and I can use my computer to make it work. I hooked up Red to Red, Black to Black (going to switch) and Blue to the other house black that has the power coming in (verified with my voltmeter).

I have my WS14A hooked up in the other box - I hooked Red to the "Switch" post (top) and the two blacks to the LOAD posts. However, I cant turn on/off the light using this switch. Completely dead. I have tried two WS14A's and neither works.

Anyone know why? Hooking up the WS14A seems pretty brainless - only spots for 3 wires and I have three wires - so not sure why it isnt working.

Thanks,

dave

Title: Re: WS12A working, WS14A isnt
Post by: rmyers1968 on February 08, 2010, 08:03:10 PM

I assumed you looked at the documentation...

ftp://ftp.x10.com/pub/manuals/ws12a-14a-is.pdf

When you say you connected the two blacks to the load posts (post with an S) what do you mean?

Do you have 3 distinct wires connected to the WS12A as well as 3 distinct wires to the WS14A?

Wire colors can be misleading depending on who did the work to start with and how your layout of 3 way switch is.

Here is one topology of a 3 way switch illustrated...

http://www.electrical-online.com/3-way%20switch,%20.gif
It illustrates power-switch-switch-lamp.
You can also have power lamp-switch switch.
You can also have power-lamp-split to two switches. (lamp between two switches).

Hope this helps.