With a pair of 3 way switches either can make or break the connection that completes the circuit to the light. Take a closer look at a 3 way switch wiring diagram.
Tutorial 3 Way Switches And 4 Way Switches
Wiring of a three way switch. Wires consisting of a line a load a neutral a pair of travelers and two 3 way switches. At the light the hot source wire is spliced to the black wire running to the common terminal on sw2. Pick the diagram that is most like the scenario you are in and see if you can wire your switch. The goal is to place two switches at separate locations which control the exact same device. Buy a single pole switch if one switch controls the lights or a three way if you have two switches controlling the same lights. The ground wire goes through both switch boxes and the ceiling light box and it is connected at all junctions except the light with a pigtail short piece of wire and wire connector.
3 way switch wiring diagram. Typical 3 way switch wiring nm cable. 3 wire cable runs to the switches on each side of the light. Three way switch wiring source in middle. A three way switch is fundamentally different in its operation from a regular two way switch. Two three way switches control one light with the electric power coming through the first switch flowing to the second switch and then to the light fixture.
In this arrangement the source for the circuit is at the light fixture which is located in the middle of the circuit. This might seem intimidating but it does not have to be. In the 1st diagram below a 2 wire nm cable supplies power from the panel to the first switch box. 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. Add up the wattage of the bulbs in all the fixtures the switch controls to make sure it falls within the switch rating listed on the package or instructions. 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.
Wiring a 3 way light switch. The black line wire connects to the common terminal of the first 3 way switch. You must completely forget about the notion of a switch being a simple openclosed circuit and look at the diagram of the circuitry of this modern alternative. A 3 wire nm connects the traveler terminals of the first and second 3 way switch together. All three way switch and 2 way switch wiring diagrams have the same basic components. Traveler wires are interchangeable.
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. If you are trying to troubleshoot a 3 way switch operation you will need to identify the function of each wire. With these diagrams below it will take the guess work out of wiring.
Gallery of Wiring Of A Three Way Switch
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