3 way switch tripping breaker

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3 way switch tripping breaker

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
3 way switch tripping breaker
3 way switch tripping breaker
2020-12-20 19:49:07
Model: HS210  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version:

I have 2 switches and they connect to 2 plugs. If you turn either switch on or off  it will turn on or off both plugs. This worked for years with standard switches. I have replaced one of the switches with the hs210 (box 1) and when I restore power and the flip the switch the breaker trips immediately. I tried a different switch and the same result. I have the neutral connected, ground connected and I believe the common in the right place along with the 2 travellers. Red is the common, white and black are my travellers. The bundle of whites is my neutral. I have a smart switch in that same box in a 2way setup that works. The catch is that the wiring in the other box (box 2) seems odd. I have 2 blacks and a white connected to the switch then a bundle that is a white and red together. I tested the white and red bundle and its always hot. I have never had issues with the switch but now installing a smart switch in box 1 I can't get it to work. Please help of you can as I am not sure if I should rewire box 2.

 

This is box 1

 

This is box 2

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#1
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4 Reply
Re:3 way switch tripping breaker
2020-12-20 21:56:57

I think I may have figured out the issue but dont have a solution yet. It appears to be because its on GFI circuit and tripping the GFI breaker. Could it be a soft breaker or is there a way to solve this?

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Re:3 way switch tripping breaker
2020-12-21 01:45:23
Tough to say from the description, but one thing to check is that the neutral wire (usually white) that you're using for the smart switch is from the output side of the GFIC - if you've used a different neutral the GFIC will trip - that's it's job.
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Re:3 way switch tripping breaker
2020-12-21 05:13:47

@MikeP Thanks Mike. I will check into that. The neutral I was using was just the white 2 wire bundle and that worked fine on the other switch. Perhaps the issue is that the neutral wire for that GFIC is not in that switch box or just in the wrong order and therefore the switch will not work in that location. This gives me a little tracing work to do from the panel back up to find the right neutral.

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Re:3 way switch tripping breaker
2021-01-21 15:56:55

@Ryan---D 

 

Finally works on my side,  if you have a GFI breaker ,you must be sure that both neutral of each switch are plug on to the GFI breaker wire otherwise it will trip your breaker,  a way to fix the tripping is to use one standard three way switch and one tplink three way switch. put the tplink at first position plug load to the GFI breaker and neutral to the GFI breaker and the second regular 3 way switch no neutral connection just the two transporter and the comon black line to the lamp.   For me it works perfectly like that.   if you don't have a gfi breaker you can  use the neutral coming from another breaker not gfi for the second switch tplink and everything works fine with both tplink three ways.   Thanks for tplink help chat, very helpful.  Alexa work find and both switch works fine.   Hope that will help !

 

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