Can't Be Done Or Can It?

jmic

Here's the situation. I'm running basement (keyless) lights, 8 of them. Switch at the top of the stairs (3 way) and a switch at the bottom of bilco door steps (3 way). I ran 12/2 feed from panel to first switch then 12/3 from switch to switch, then 12/2 from 2nd switch to lights. I used 12 wire cause on the second switch by the bilco door I used a duplex box and wanted to add an outlet (GFI), got everything together, lights worked, but outlet worked depending which switch was on. Tried changing the travelers to see if it made a difference but it didn't. So I came to the conclusion that it wouldn't work (taking a feed off the switch) with a 3way so I deleted the idea of the outlet. I'll just run a seperate feed and run a few outlets around the basement. Or could it of worked?

__________________
___"Remember You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression"______________________
Joe

JAL

The 12/2 feed should of gone to the 3 way switch/ GFI at the bilco stairs and a 12/3 to the 3-way switch at the top of the stairs. You can still save this by running a 12/3 from the panel to the 3 way switch/ GFI at the bilco stairs and not use the 12/2 feed from the panel to the 3-way at the top of the stairs. That way the bilco door GFI will be on it's own circuit and you can run any other receptacles you need from this location.

post again if you got it I think I got.

This is like Abbot & Costello doing the famous "Who's on first, I don't know's on second" comedy routine.

jmic

Jal,
Thanks for the reply. Now I understand I should have gone in the other direction with that feed. They didn't show that senerio in the book I was looking at for the 3 way wiring diagram I was looking at. The outlet next to the switch was my brainstorm . I'll just add 5-6 outlets around the basement and make a seperate circuit. Just starting out with the electrical, you'll be seeing more from me.

__________________
___"Remember You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression"______________________
Joe