3-way switch and a ceiling fan with a light?

Question

I put a brand new fan in my living room but am having trouble with the 3-way. I tried the switch to switch to light method. There was no junction box or existing light and no switches so everything was done from scratch. I brought my power to the first switch with 12-2 with a ground and connected my hot to the common. Then, connected 12-2, 12/3 ground. Then I connected the 12/2, 12/3 neutrals. Then I used the black and red wires from the 12/3 and connected them to the brass terminals for my switch legs. At the next switch I did the same thing. I connected my 12/3 ground to the 12/2 ground going to the light. I connected my 12/3 neutral to my 12/2 neutral going to the light. I connected my red and black from the 12/3 to the switch legs. I connected the hot from the 12/2 going to the light to the common. The problem that I'm having is with the switches working properly. Sometimes I can't kill the power to the fan at all. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Your description of your wiring connections appears correct, so start checking for faults.

First, check the switches and wiring for a short between the two travelers, (the 'brass terminal wires). Use a continuity tester - power off.

Don't neglect to check the switches themselves,

(you do occasionally get a bad one, - [I did once - 5 switch system, - drove me nuts] ).

Also look for one of the bare grounds bridging the brass screws somewhere.

Patience, you'll find it the last place you look.

Answer 2

Let's see if I can explain this. (1st thing a 3 way switch has 3 connection points: 1ea Line/Load connection and 2ea switching connections

- 1st switch : Feeder cable, Hot (Bk), Neutral (Wh) and gnd (Bare). Connect hot to line side of switch, neutral wire nuts with switch cable white wire.

- 1st to 2nd switch : Switch cable, 2 switch wires (Bk and Red), Neutral (wh) and gnd. Connect the 2 wires to each switching connection (2 separate connections) of the switch, splice the neutral with the feeder neutral.

- 2nd switch to the light :  Light cable, Hot (Bk), Neutral (Wh) and gnd (Bare). Connect hot to load side of switch, neutral wire nuts with switch cable.

I hope this makes sense, basically you have 2 hot wires between the switches and as you flip the switches the voltage source alternates between these 2 wires.  So if the light is off swt 1 is up and swt 2 is up, wire 1 is hot, wire is not, now flip swt1 to down, now light is on, wire 2 is hot, wire is not swt 2 is up, now flip swt2 down, light is off, swt 1 is down wire 2 is hot, wire 1 not, swt2 down, so on and so forth