Trouble with 3-way switch in a 3-gang box

[wirebook]

Ok, here's my problem. I tried installing one of the last X10 light switches in my house (Smarthome series), but that didn't work for some reason, and so I tried backing out and just re-installing the standard switches that were there before. But, since this was basically the last one in the house that I had to convert (after doing 40 before) I sorta didn't see how it was wired. My mistake. But, I consulted with how another 3-way switch was wired and tried to duplicate it. No go. I tried pretty much every combination I could think of - no go. The problem is this is also affecting another light switch (standard one bulb to one switch) on the same circuit.

There are three switches in this particular gang box:

1) An outside porch light (which is no longer working)
2) A three way hallway switch (which I got working)
3) A three way Den switch (which is no longer working)

They are on two seperate circuits. Nothing from the hallway switch interacts with any wires on the other switches. So that seems to be out of the picture.

That leaves 4 other runs going into the gangbox, they are:

R1) Contains one white, one black
R2) Contains one white, one black
R3) Contains One white, one black, one red
R4) Contains one white, one black

The R1 run's black cable connects to the top of the porch light, the buttom of the porch light the connect to a wirenut using a black wire (we'll call this the black wire nut).

R2's black goes to the black wire nut. It's white goes to the white wire nut (we'll call this the white wire nut)

R3's black goes to the black wire nut. It's white goes to the DEN 3-way switch (lower right post). R3's Red goes to the same Den 3-way switch (lower left post)

R4's black goes to the the Den 3-way switch. It's white goes to the white wire nut.

On the other end of the 3-way swithc light I have a single-gange box. It has a single switch with a black, white, red wire. The red goes to the top, black to the lower left, and white to the lower right.

So - what did I do wrong such that neither the Den switch or Porch light will work any longer? Just a quick note other items on the same circuit are working (garage lights, etc..)

I have a ugly little diagram that I can e-mail/post somewhere if it's of any help. *Note: Didn't include any of the ground wires in the description above.

I greatly apprecitae any help on this as the gf acceptance factor of not having certain lights for about a week or so now is slowly declining.

Thanks in advance! Sorry for being so confusing.

[wirebook]

Anybody have any thoughts on how I can restore my lights and increase WAF?

[Pilot Dane]

I have the attention span of a fruit fly and my eyes crossed about half way through reading your post. How about a link to your wiring diagram or send it in a private message?

[Desy2820]

equip? A simple neon light, non-contact tester (tick tester), analog meter? You can also use a digital meter.

First thing we need to figure out is where power comes in at. Use your test thingy and check each black/white pair in the cable, then check red/white and red/black and finally black/ground, white/ground, red ground. I know this is a lot of measuring, but try to keep the reply sorted by cables so we can see what's going on. Also, only test within each cable...for example don't test R1black to R2 white, etc.

If you know which breakers orginally controlled which light, that may help sort out the power wires. Try turning one breaker off and see which wire loses power based on your measurements above. What I'm trying to do is this: If you know that breaker 17 turned off the hall light and R1 loses power when you throw 17, then R1 is your power wire for the hall light.

The three way switches need at least three wires between them to work.
Based on your description, I'm not seeing the wires for the other 3-way switch. Here are some diagrams for 3-way switch configurations: http://www.the-home-improvement-web.com/information/how-to/three-way-switch.htm

For the other switches, you may have power->switch->light (2 black wires on switch) or a "switch loop" which is power->light->switch. (black and white wire on switch).

Your wiring will be some combination of these. You may need to access the wiring at the lights in the cieling to actually see the wiring connections and see what's going on.

Hope this helped a little!

[wirebook]

Sorry for the delayed response, I've been out of town since I sent this. The lights still weren't working as of this morning. I had received some appliances in the mail today (Juicer) and wanted to test it, so I happen to be in the room with the non functional light, I went to plug it into the GCFI outlet that was nearest to me and quickly noticed it didn't work. I then realized what happened - when I was trying to get the right configuration all those weeks ago, i had tripped the GCFI outlet, which was in serial ahead of the ligth switches. I simply reset the GFCI outlet and my lights worked. I was then able to go ahead and restore them all back to the X10 lighting I was trying to install in the first place.

My house is now complete - every light switch is controlled by computers.

Thanks for all your assistance, I greatly appreciated it!