Three way and four way switches how they work step 1. The three way switch is a variation of the standard single pole switch which controls a light only from one location.
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How do three way switches work. If you have ever wondered how this arrangement works and how each switch knows what the other switch is doing then read on. Let us assume this is a large room. Here are the basics of a 3 way switch. Two brass terminals for traveler wires one black terminal for the common wire. The switch simply opens off or closes on the connection between the two terminals on the switch. Whenever you flip either one of the switches the light changes its state if it is on it turns off and if it is off it turns on.
A third type is the four way switch which is used in conjunction with two three way switches to control lighting from more than two locations. This configuration may be used in open plan homes or in large kitchens or great rooms where a central bank of lighting fixtures might be controlled from more than two entry points. Three way switches can be wired in a number of different ways depending on where they are located relative to the light fixture in the circuit cable runs. In this graphic someone has entered a room and flipped the switch at the right of the. The person who entered and. Turning the light off from another switch.
When the switch is on current flows along the black wire through the switch to the light and then returns to ground through the white wire to complete the circuit. If there are lights in your house that can be controlled from two different light switches as opposed to just one then the light is commonly referred to as a three way light and the switches are referred to as three way light switches. For circuits with only two switches just ignore the 4 way switches in the above figure here is one more variation with the cable from the panel going directly to the light box which is in turn between some of the switches. In this article we will solve the mystery of three way switches. The light comes on. More variations of 3 way two switch circuits.
For example they can be arranged so that the feed cable runs to the first three way switch then to the light fixture box then to the second three way switch. More variations of 4 way three or more switch circuits.
Gallery of How Do Three Way Switches Work
