For example a long hallway or stairway might use a pair of three way. With these diagrams below it will take the guess work out of wiring.
Tutorial 3 Way Switches And 4 Way Switches
3 way switch diagram power at switch. A 3 wire nm connects the traveler terminals of the first and second 3 way switch together. Traveler wires are interchangeable. 3 way switch wiring diagram depicting all wires in the ceiling junction box. Typical 3 way switch wiring nm cable. Fixture between two three way switches. Two wire cable runs from the light to sw1 and 3 wire cable runs between sw1 and sw2.
The ground wire is pigtailed with a wire connector at the switch boxes and the ceiling box. Power through switch light is controlled by two three way switches with the light between the switches and the power first going through a switch then to the light and onto the second three way switch. Wall switches used to control ceiling light fixtures or other fixtures come in three types. With a pair of 3 way switches either can make or break the connection that completes the circuit to the light. 3 way switch wiring diagram. In this diagram the source for the circuit is at the light fixture and the two switches come after.
Pick the diagram that is most like the scenario you are in and see if you can wire your switch. Wiring diagram for a 3 way switch one of the many wiring diagrams showing different methods of wiring a three way switch circuit. In the ceiling light fixture electrical box one black wire from a 3 way switch gets connected to the black load wire on the light fixture. In the above 3 way switch wiring diagram at each switch the black wire gets connected to the copper or black screw. Wiring a 3 way light switch. 3 way switch wiring with light first.
Most common is the single pole switch the type used to control a light fixture from a single locationthe next most common is the three way switch which is commonly used to control a light fixture from two different locations. Take a closer look at a 3 way switch wiring diagram. Wiring a 3 way light switch is certainly more complicated than that of the more common single pole switch but you can figure it out if you follow our 3 way switch wiring diagram. In this light switch wiring diagram the power feed joins the circuit via the light fixture where a two wire cable c2 runs from the light to the first 3 way switch sw1 and a 3 wire cable c3 joins the two switches. Regardless of what 3 way switch wiring diagram youre following youll need to use a 3 wire cable to connect the two 3 way light switches. So what you should see if you have correct 3 wire electrical cable romex is a black power white neutral and now a 3rd red wire.
In the 1st diagram below a 2 wire nm cable supplies power from the panel to the first switch box. This electrical wiring diagram shows power into light switch box 1 wire to light from switch box 1 and from switch box 1 to three way light switch box 2. The black line wire connects to the common terminal of the first 3 way switch. This might seem intimidating but it does not have to be.