I'm trying to replace a couple of switches with two WeMo switches.

Current wiring without the piggy back in use.


The switch on the left handles outdoor porch lights.
The switch on the right handles an interior entryway light.
Both switches are the only switch for the devices.

Starting state:
The switch on the left has wires 3, 4 and 5.
The switch on the right has wires 3 (red line), 2 and 1.

When I tested different configurations:
The switch on the right works with only wires 1 and 2 (can remove 3).
The switch on the left only works when it is set up in the original configuration. I tried it with just wires 4 and 5 and with 4/3 and 5 (when the 3rd wire not hooked into the right switch).

The wiring of your WeMo switch will be the same as any other. It is puzzling why the two switches are in series or piggybacked as you call it.

Is there a purpose or reason they are wired that way? If I had to guess I would say, someone who didn't know what they were doing wired in two switches for their ceiling fan. SW1 for the fan and SW2 for the lights.

Do the switches control an outlet or something hardwired like a fan and/or lights.

Is that a "hot" wire in the middle of the picture with a small section of the insulation removed? It looks like you have a black wire going to the ground tab on the right hand switch. Am I seeing that correctly? I am on a tablet and do not have my glasses.

Because the wiring is not good. Maybe you can pencil up a rough sketch of what you have coming into the switches and going out as far as wiring goes -- line, neutral, and ground. The post what you want. The board should be able to come up with a good solution.

I've updated the post above with a new image and here's what I want to do based on other WeMo installs that I've done. In short I'd cut the previous wire 3 and use it to be the new wire proposed.

quote:

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The wiring of your WeMo switch will be the same as any other. It is puzzling why the two switches are in series or piggybacked as you call it.

Is there a purpose or reason they are wired that way? If I had to guess I would say, someone who didn't know what they were doing wired in two switches for their ceiling fan. SW1 for the fan and SW2 for the lights.

Do the switches control an outlet or something hardwired like a fan and/or lights.

Is that a "hot" wire in the middle of the picture with a small section of the insulation removed? It looks like you have a black wire going to the ground tab on the right hand switch. Am I seeing that correctly? I am on a tablet and do not have my glasses.

Because the wiring is not good. Maybe you can pencil up a rough sketch of what you have coming into the switches and going out as far as wiring goes -- line, neutral, and ground. The post what you want. The board should be able to come up with a good solution.

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Thanks for all the questions, hoping my edits make it clear what I have and what I'm trying to do.

That "piggyback" with the stripped section of wire labeled #3 is a ghetto way of feeding multiple switches without pigtailing.

Can you tell which wires go with what inside the box?

Do your existing switches have only two terminals/screws on the side, not counting the green ground one?

Do your WeMo switches require a neutral?

They do require neutral

I have four switches at my main entryway that are wired exactly as the original configuration in the OP. I replaced the original standard switches with new Decora switches using pigtails. I guess I got the line load switched somewhere because now I have to have my hall 3-way light switch on for any of the other three to work, but it has somehow disconnected its 3-way functionality. That switch is now just acting as a breaker, with no control over the light. I can't figure it out, and it's absolutely maddening.

Thanks for all the comments. Turns out wire 2 is the only hot, not sure what 3 and 4 are doing and can't tell from looking in the box.

I was able to get the switches to work by joining 2,3,4 and using them as the hot into each of the WeMo switches. They worked fine in multiple rounds of testing, then they quit working once I got it all back into the wall so I've got more trouble shooting to do and I've now cut wire 3 down since I had it working so if I have to back track I'm going to have to reintroduce some additional wires