electricalswitch
I have power coming in SW1 and leaving SW1 is a 12/3 wire. I have 6 lights connected serially in between SW1 and SW2. (black to black, white to white, red to red, etc) and the lights are connected to the blacks and whites accordingly.
How do I get the 3 way switches working?
The red is the only wire not connected to anything else along the way.
I think I get what you're describing. You need to get switched power from the living 3-ways back through the common box and bathroom box on to the fan/light in the living room, all the while powering bath and dining lights as well as the fan, all with only 14-3 cables between boxes.
I think where you are going wrong is supplying power to bath and dining using the red conductors from the common box, because the black is for the living room power. You don't need to do this, they are all on the same circuit. Use black as common power to all switches and fan. The red is then free to be used to run switched power through all the boxes to the living light. And except for the switched white, all neutral whites tie together. Do not ever connect switched power white to neutral whites. Instant short circuit once any switch is on!
In the dining/living 3way switches box, black from common box to common of BOTH 3-way switches. Travelers OK as connected. Switched living white to red from common box.
In common box, connect all like colors together.
In bath box, connect all like colors together. Pigtail from black to bath switch.
In living room. Black to fan power. Red (switched) to light power. White to common neutral.
Figured out the wiring!
Huge thanks to @A.I.Breveleri and @Shalvenay for guiding me through this - I couldn't have done it without their help.
Best Answer
Go to a smart switch
You just don't have enough wires to pull off a traditional 3-way connection, as you need 2 messengers and you only have space for one.
Typically you put the smart switch master in the first location, and the smart switch remote in the second location. Most will want a communication wire, and you can use the red wire for that.