LED lighting

[jacobbetts32]

I recently installed some led recessed lights in my living room ceiling. I wired it in parallel with an existing feature in an attempt to make the switches work for the new lights. I have 8 LED lights wired in series coming directly from the source and going directly into the first switch. The lighting ties into a 3 switches(2 3 ways and a 4 way). For some reason when I try to turn the lights off with the switch it is setting off the breaker(20Amp). If I turn the switch back on I can close the breaker in but if I have the lights turned off from any of the switches and I try to close the breaker back in it immediately trips the breaker. Also, before I installed the new lights the fan was tied into the switches in the same configuration and they worked fine. Any ideas what would cause this?

I've attached a diagram showing how I wired the lights as well as one showing I wired the switches. Thanks for your help.

 

[Timbo]

Why have you wired the lights in series?
Try wiring them in parallel, switch wire and common to each light.

 

[ipf]

Blimey. Get someone in who knows what they're doing before you do some real damage.

 

[DefyG]

Agreed, should be in parallel and conductor to common not connected to the intermediate switch.

Lighting on a 20A ??????

Best get a sparks in!

 

[westward10]

The OP is in the States so some terminology such as intermediate (four way) are not familiar.

 

[jacobbetts32]

Why have you wired the lights in series?
Try wiring them in parallel, switch wire and common to each light.

Well it was much simpler to wire them in series, especially voltage isn't really an issue. Do you have any idea why the breaker would trip when I turn the lights off? Everything works fine when the lights are on but as soon as I hit any of the switches it trips the breaker.

 

[jacobbetts32]

Agreed, should be in parallel and conductor to common not connected to the intermediate switch.

Lighting on a 20A ??????

Best get a sparks in!

What would the benefit of wiring it that way be? I'm not having any voltage issues. 20A breaker is the standard breaker size for lighting.

 

[westward10]

You haven't managed to connect a neutral into the switch. Your drawing is difficult to fathom out.

 

[Timbo]

Maybe we had better tag @Megawatt into this one?