3 pole switch changing to 3 pole switch and receptacle

Question

QUESTION: When I swapped out the existing 3 pole switch for the new 3 pole and receptacle combo I either get a circuit break, or I get the situation where the new switch can turn light off and on, other 3 pole switch can turn light off/on when the new switch is on, and the receptacle only works if the other 3 pole switch is on and the new 3 pole switch is on. However, when the receptacle is on the light in the 3 pole connection dims and the lamp plugged into the receptacle is very dim. The wire into the box for the new 3 pole/receptacle is a 12/3 with ground. The new switch has a pull tab to split the circuit, two black screws and brass on one side, which wiring guide notes as com and com B and line A, a black screw and brass on the other noted as 3WA and neutral and then a ground on top (switch is a pass and seymour TM838WCC). Should I pull the tab, split the black 'hot' into two pigtails and connect each pig tail into the right side black screws? Then attach the red wire to the opposite side black screw and white to neutral?

ANSWER: If the power does not enter the system at that switch, you can't add an outlet. You do not have a neutral. The white wire on most 3 way switches is a hot wire.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The light in question is a ceiling fan for a sun room that was added to the house a few years back (2001). The 3 pole that we weren't changing is on a wall in a gang of three switches. The 3 pole, a switch to control the fan separate from the light, and a third single pole switch that controls the outside light. Since the switch we were trying to convert to a 3 pole and receptacle is not crucial for being a 3 pole (such as might be needed for stairs)could we convert to a single pole with receptacle, or simply switch it to the receptacle? If it can be converted, could it be done using the switch we have since we had to special order that? If it would involve losing the use of the other 3 pole, we could live with that too.

ANSWER: If the power comes into the switch, then the power wire would go on one terminal of the single pole switch, and the black wire to the fan would go to the other terminal of the single pole switch. Then, the black wire going to the other switch would connect to the black power coming in, and the white wire would connect with the other white wires, such as the white going to the fan. You would not use the red. At the other switch, remove the switch and put in an outlet. Black to brass screw and white to silver colored, and ground to green.

As a follow up question if you don't understand, or need help figuring which wire goes to where.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: When I got the 3 switch gang opened up there was a bit of a twist, so wanted to make sure I get it straight. There are 5 total cables in the gang box. 3 are two wire and ground, and 2 are 3 wire and ground. First 2 wire comes in from the bottom, and second comes in from the top. Both of these connect their black and white cables to the group connection splice in the box. The 3rd 2 wire connects it's white wire to the group connection of those and it's black connects to the back of a single pole switch that operates the outside light. The switch has a black pig tail that connects to the black group connection. The first 3 wire cable connects it's white to the group whites, it's black to the single pole switch that operates the fan, and it's red to the 3 pole switch that operates the light. This fan switch (single pole) also has a black pig tail that connects to the group black connection. The second 3 wire cable connects it's red to the 3 pole light switch, it's white to the 3 pole light switch and it's black to the group black connection. On the 3 pole switch, the two reds are on the top and bottom right, while the white is on the bottom left, when looking at it from behind. All the switches also have grounds connected to the group of common ground that include the grounds from the first and second 2 wire cables coming in top and bottom. See photo attahced. The two reds connected to the 3 pole threw me off from your prior answer, so wasn't sure which connections to make. Your thoughts? thanks

Answer

The two red are throwing me off too. But it looks like the red wire on the second wire from the left is the wire that goes to your light. To confirm that, make sure it is on the one screw that is a different color than the others.

Remove the 3 way switch, and cap off of the red wire that is on the left cable. Connect the white wire from the other 3 way switch and connect it to the other whites. The black wire is OK as it is.

For the new single pole switch, connect the red wire second to the left to one screw, and then run a short piece to the wire nuts that have the black wires for the other screw..

At the other switch which will be the outlet, cap off the red, black to dark terminal, white to light colored terminal, and ground to green.

This is my best solution, based on what I see.