This guide highlights the procedures for replacing a broken 3 way electrical switch. Before proceeding make sure you are comfortable working with electrical wires and switches.

Yt 0618 Way Switch Multiple Lights Wiring Diagram 4 Way
Light switch with 3 wires. Add an electrical box for the second 3 way switch in the basement. A three way wall switch is a common type of light switch that makes it possible to control a ceiling light or other electrical fixture from two different locations in a room. Turn off the correct circuit at your electrical panel. Three wire supply cables generally carry red and black hot wires of 110 to 120 volts each with a single white neutral wire. 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. 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.
Theres no three way set up and this isnt a switch loop either. The switch in question is a single pole. Either way complete these five steps for 3 way light switch wiring. From it there is 3 wire cable that leads to a light which then connects to other lights controlled by their own switches. Its likely youll also need to replace the. This third wire is necessary for 3 way switch installations.
Connecting a two wire light fixture to a three wire power supply cable is not an ordinary occurrence. A 3 way wall switch controls a common light or set of lights from two separate switch locations. 3 wire lighting systems the 3 wire system is less common than the 2 wire system it includes a neutral at the switch as well as the live and switched live wires. Its likely youll also need to replace the. Two 3 way switches are required in any 3 way application. Leave 810 inches 203254 cm of wire inside each of the boxes before cutting the cable to facilitate easy splicing and connection to the switch and fixture.
If you have a 2 gang or 3 gang switch you may have black and grey wires however these will have a brown sleeve on them as they are also switched live wires. In a hallway or large room for example installing three way switches at both ends lets you turn the light fixture on or off from both locations. Plus the two black wires are using the same terminal. A 3 wire cable has an extra wire when compared to 2 wire cables and this wire is nearly always covered in red insulation. The lighting could be added to the three wire cable provided that the circuit breaker is no more than 15 amps and the wire size is no greater than 14 gauge. Because the electrical code as of the 2011 nec update requires a neutral wire in most new switch boxes a 3 wire cable runs between the light and switch.
The red and black are used for hot and the white neutral wire at the switch box allows for powering a timer remote control or other programmable switch.