A "3-way switch" is really two switches that both control one light. Flipping the first switch should give you two wires that go hot, then cold when the switch is flipped - these are travelers at the second switch. My hope is that the diagrams and explanations will make it understandable for those that have even a modicum of experience there. Electrical code requires every switch have a ground wire now even though grounds were not used for many years. I found out that it is not grounded. Specifically, what is the difference between a normally-open switch and a normally-closed switch? The Switch Method found in the book Switch, How to Change Things When Change is Hard, is a broad-based transformative method suited for personal enrichment and organizational change. Two black wires is not enough - what other wires/colors are in the boxes? The best thing about them is that they are always hooked up electrically the same regardless of the physical realities of running wire. How can I further diagnose my wiring problem? In order to help avoid confusion, ask the students how they may think of these terms in a way that is consistent with their meaning in the context of an electrical switch. Switches typically use metal contacts that are touched together or moved apart by some sort of actuating lever, shaft, or other mechanical assembly. Answer: To add more light fixtures simply use the same wires that to the existing fixture and extend them further to however many additional fixtures you want. This is the place where I will definitely check periodically in the future. Checking these should tell you where the problem is. If the one marked "T" never goes hot, I would suspect that it is the common, not a traveler. I thought I might be able to save him time from the setback. But there is another problem as well. 10...All four ground wires in the hallway 2 gang box are now connected together. Make sure you understand which screw terminals and which wires serve which purpose. When the switch is closed, the light bulb will receive full voltage from the battery. As shown in the diagrams and as described, you must have 3 wires between switches, and that means 12-3. My house is wired just to the box, but I have been told it should also go to the switch. Discuss with your students the different types of switches shown in this question (not just their normal status, but what physical event actuates each type of switch). The “normal” status of a switch refers to the open or closed status of the contacts when there is no actuating force applied to the switch. I'm not looking solution like this. Wiring a 3 way switch is just enough different that many people have trouble with it. Black tape is fine for this purpose. I have wired it and even separated the neutrals at the second switch but still cannot get the power to switch off. It's always fun trying to decipher what an electrician or homeowner did fifty years ago! It is not only valid, but preferable for them to experiment on their own, so long as the voltages are low enough that no shock hazard exists. Question: Can you direct me to a diagram of a 3-way switches configuration? Please let me know if this answers your question. At the point the switch with the hot in it can be wired with the hot going to the common and both travelers hooked up. 3... when switch one is up, and switch two is down (light off), again, only the hot is hot, and the NON-missing traveler is cold/dead. I live in a 1977 vintage apartment building in the US. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on August 04, 2017: Probably not. A larger box may be necessary to contain all the wires. In many states it is illegal to sell a house with known deficiencies like this without notifying the buyer, whereupon the sale probably won't go through. The white wire is the neutral. You CAN use the switch with only two wires, but it will act as a regular switch, not a three-way switch. Question: I have a setup that looks like “3 Way Diagram #1,” based on the configuration of the two switches (I haven’t located the lightbox yet), but when I separated both switches from the wires, all of the traveler lines went hot. Identify as much information as you can about your switches prior to discussion: If possible, find a manufacturer’s datasheet for your components (or at least a datasheet for a similar component) to discuss with your classmates. This means not only a white wire, but a white wire that is connected to the white wire on the power in cable. If first switch is on second switch work corectly, if the first switch is off the second switch does not work. This method might be used when power is available in the ceiling but switch boxes are on opposite walls—it is often easier to run the cable up into the ceiling light box instead of between switches. Make sure your switch has a ground terminal. If that switch is also down, it exits that switch on the black, common, wire and continues to the light. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on February 23, 2012: If you have three white wires to one side then they are all either neutral wires or grounds. With more information I might be able to offer more concrete advice. Those wires or the electrons flowing in them don't know what color the insulation is. I put a duplex outlet on the opposite side of the wall from the light switch at the bottom of the stairs and intended to power off of the light switch. Ask the students what it would mean if a closed switch actually measured having high resistance between its terminals. Each diagram will show the two 3-way switches (but not the wall box they are contained in), the various cables and wires used in the configuration being discussed, and the light box and light fixture. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on September 07, 2011: Thanks to the both of you for the comment; it helps to know that you find the information useful. Answer: Is the breaker on and the light bulb good? If the wires aren't Romex, but old knob and tube, it isn't something you really want to deal with, so if you can't see that those wires are all enclosed together in an outer sheath, or each wire enters the box separately, don't try it. ... a driver and a high-current output switch. Smart switch with neutral. If you have a voltmeter, preferably a non-contact tester, you can troubleshoot it as well. The picture of the older switch above has both the push-in holes and screws; the other is an expensive switch that has holes to insert wire but the screws must be tightened as well. . Other than that, hook up the wires the same way. Answer: Yes, but you didn't mention a ground wire (on the green screw) for the old switch. Certainly not UL!) The way it is now, one switch must be left in the up position all the time, in order for the other switch to turn the light on or off. 1...I have WOODEN studs and PLASTIC boxes. 5...An inherited renter who said he was an electrician lived in the unit in 2000(I acquired the condo in 2000, and rented it out until 2014, when I moved in). Old work does not need to be re-done to comply with the code and is this why the unacceptable (by current code) wiring diagrams are discussed here in this article. 6...Two outlets in the living room are part of the same circuit as all the bedroom outlets. And thanks for the pat; 3 way switches really aren't that difficult, just a little different than most people are used to thinking of for switches. Then verify at the other switch that the switch can transfer power, or not, regardless of which traveler is hot, to the common wire. The only wiring diagram shown here that is legal to use is #3, although #1 could be modified by adding a 2-wire cable from the lower box to the light. All other white wires should be colored. Those are not independent connection. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on July 11, 2012: Thank you for the compliment. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on January 02, 2012: First, grounds should NOT be separated. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on July 21, 2017: No, I didn't disable any printing. I encourage you to take the few seconds necessary to color these non-neutral wires. Any neutrals in the switch box that are unused are either spliced together or, in the case of a single neutral, simply capped off with a wire nut and tucked back into the box. Does this switch (in the closed state) have a low resistance or a high resistance between its terminals? This software is available in two variants, Professional and Standard. Read this article to learn the science of habit change and find out how behavioral psychology can make it easier for you to start habits and stick to them. For the light bulb to be energized, both switches must either be in the “up” position, or in the “down” position. it goes through that switch, again exiting from the common terminal, and once more enters the light box, where it goes to the light itself. Can you go from the power Switch #1 to Switch #2? The colors shown in these wiring diagrams are common color usages only. (Note: I have not yet installed both switches in part for this reason). We decided to put in a new one as we re-did our bathroom and wanted the colors to match. NOTE 2: Switch two is an old one pole switch (that I will replace with a three pole switch) with a piece of black electrical tape on the hot wire, and no tape on the non-missing traveler. These switch may at first seem complex, but at the heart are actually quite simple. Two switches are to run light(A) and two switches are to run light(B). People do, though, and that is why the NEC has decreed that every neutral be white - when you spliced that white wire to the black hot it is no longer a neutral and should not be white. Step-up converter (Boost Regulator) 2. What will the light bulb do when the switch is open, and when the switch is closed? I did notice however that if I touch the light switch neutral to the ground screw it all works like as I expect. For that reason, the transfer switch should be located as close as possible to the protected loads. The black wire is "hot" at all times unless the entire circuit is turned off at the circuit breaker panel. In both examples, the load being driven by each proximity switch is a light-emitting diode (LED): Principle of Operation: Proximity Switch consists a sensor circuit and a driver circuit. We have an older home and had a 3 way switch between to connected fan/lights. If the wires are Romex (two or three insulated wires encased in an outer sheath) you could replace the box with an "old work" or "cut in" plastic box - that isn't a difficult thing to do and it's very inexpensive. Use power supply circuit to provide 5V DC to the microcontroller; Insert the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) to the GSM module. I have a 3 way in my hall way my 2 new motion sensors have the 3 red black and ground but the old switches have 2 black wires I know witch one is the common but with only 3 wires how do I hook up the 4th wire. One traveler or the other at that same switch should be hot, changing as the switch is flipped. Since I moved in the unit in 2014, not only does the 3 pole connection not work right, but the 2 gang box in the living room has a bad on/off switch and/or bad dimmer switch that used to control the track lighting that "blew up" (since replaced with a pull chain ceiling fan two years ago that has always worked fine), I replaced ALL the outlets (some were loose), and I had the defectively designed" PFE stab-lok"(which I still have and would like to get tested, but where? If not, one of the travelers is interchanged with the power here. Step-Down converter (Buck regulator) 3. Read the descriptions carefully and compare them to the diagrams to understand the diagrams. Therefore, I have a MISCONNECTION! Traveler terminals are always connected to a traveler terminal on the other switch - never to either the light or the incoming power. These codes are in place for a very good reason and need to be followed. An old switch. From that point, the wiring is the same for each control circuit. This can be by method ringing in which the ringers commit to memory the rules for generating each change, or by call changes, where the ringers are instructed how to generate each change by instructions from a conductor. 3...In the hallway 2 gang switch box, two of the neutrals had white masking tape on them to mark them (I since replaced with white electrical tape). Did I do right by labeling the neutral "hot" in the second switch box? It's just too dangerous, now and in the future. Wire them, try it and see what happens. When the switch is open, the light bulb will receive less voltage (and correspondingly, less current). Is this correct; Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on April 20, 2013: Yes, that will work fine. As we power this circuit, electricity will flow through the hot wire over to the second switch. I believe this ceiling light fixture had never been opened up before. This does not agree with your designation of a hot wire, or with statement 2 however - I'm not quite understanding what you're seeing for some reason. There is no 14-3 cable used for the three-way connection. https://hubpages.com/home-improvement/How-to-wire-... Not all 3-way switches are the same. Since June 13, 2009, full-power television stations nationwide have been required to broadcast exclusively in a digital format. Make sure the power is off before making any connections! What I'm getting at is if BOTH black wires that connect to the "common" screw on BOTH 3 way switches are "hot"(even when disconnected, that would mean energy is coming from both the "power in" cable and from the light fixture, that is, POWER COMING FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS AT ONCE. If the switch is up, it will exit the box on the red traveler wire and continue to the traveler terminal at the second switch. If all those are good, the best guess is that either the black or the white from the lightbox is not connected to a "common" terminal, but one of the traveler terminals. The major difference here is that the neutral from the power-in line has to be taken to the light fixture via the 3 rope. Make sure that whenever you do any kind of electrical work that you first test with a good voltage detector. Turning on the light switch becomes associated with being in a dark room. This time the electrician has brought power into the first switch, through the second switch, and on to the light fixture. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on May 12, 2019: Use any of the diagrams above, and simply hook the wires to each other. The common terminal is on the top in this view, with a traveler on the lower end. The terms "traveler" and "common" have already been explained, but there are other terms that will be used in this article that also need some explanation. The wiring diagrams basically just show different methods of physically running the cables; in each and every case one common is connected to the incoming power and the other is connected to the light. Today I left a message for an electrician to call me that A friend recommended. But that pigtail should go to the "common" screw on the switch, not a traveler. I hope this was the correct action, since the neutral spliced to hot acts like hot when the appropriate switching combo is performed. The current will pass through the light, exiting on the white, neutral wire and returning to the power-in cable. If you use wiring diagram #3 above, and only use two rope wire, the switches may work, but not properly. Beginning students often find the terminology for switches confusing, because the words open and closed sound similar to the terminology used for doors, but do not mean quite the same thing when used in reference to a switch! When I turn the light switch off the power to the duplex is on. This is the common terminal. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on November 29, 2012: Amshas, I'm not sure what you refer to. If the switch is in the "down" position, it exits the switch on the red wire, entering the second switch at a traveler terminal. What can we do? An outlet or something? Have plenty of 14-3 type NM cable on hand, which has three insulated wires—white, black, and red—plus a bare copper ground wire. A note about wire colors: The National Electric Code requires that every neutral wire be colored white, and that ground wires be colored green. Is the switch that is closest to the panel box on a three-way connection always identified as " switch one"? This makes me wonder if I should go to the city about this if necessary. My question is this: because this light fixture is so close to the bathroom and because it would be difficult for me to close it back up, I have put a plastic cover over it to prevent bathroom humidity from shorting out this ungrounded fixture, until the electrician comes to fix it. If that's true, could one put an outlet in the middle of each traveler wire with the result of one outlet or the other - but not both - being 'ON'? ... Over 1,000,000 people subscribe. But first, I have to do a continuity test to determine the other end of that SAME wire at the other (hallway) 2 gang switch. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on November 14, 2011: It's actually pretty simple, isn't it? Types of Switching Regulator. Is this old (pre 1950s) knob and tube wiring? Normally Open Relay A normally open relay controls one single accessory instead of switching between two. Wiring a 4-way switch How to wire a 4 way switch, How to wire a 4-way switch in a 3-way switch circuit. The non-contact testers mentioned in the article can be sensitive enough to pick up static electricity transferred from one wire to another even though they are not touching. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on March 29, 2014: Article 404.2(C) is what you're looking for. (Hopefully this made sense--I know nothing about wiring.) It is not legal to do what you are proposing and any future problems (house burns down perhaps) that can traced to that wiring will result in liability to whoever did it. What type of switch is represented by this schematic symbol? 3...Also when switch one is down, and switch two is EITHER up or down, the light is off. .but we are trying to add the Switch #2 back in. I have a 3 light switch in 2x4 box and I want every light have a switch. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on September 11, 2011: Good. An inexpensive source of simple (SPST) switches is a hardware store: use the same type of switch that is used in household light control. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on September 13, 2012: What you are missing is that there is no "on" or "off" with a three way switch. There is no "off" position. Once students relate this circuit to personal experience, it usually makes a lot more sense to them. Wiring a 2-Way Switch How to wire a 2 way switch, How to Change or Replace a Basic On/Off 2-Way Switch Wiring a 3-Way Switch How to wire a 3 way switch, How To Wire A 3-Way Switch Circuit and Teach You How The Circuit Works. Long story short, Therefore I have ceased my own DIY work and will be calling an electrician tomorrow. It may or may not be spliced to another white wire in a box, but never terminates on a switch—only on the light fixture. Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on July 20, 2017: I'm sorry, but I can't answer the question on 1977 code - it was before my time. Power comes into Switch #1 and if we use only Switch #1 to the fan/lights they work. Two additional switches have been inserted. Is that unusual? The two brass screw terminals are the traveler terminals. After having found so many light switches in my condo that we're not grounded, I have come to the probable conclusion that the original contractor never connected the grounds! For those learners who are kinesthetic in nature, it is a great help to actually touch real components while they’re learning about their function. Latching switches such as most toggle switches really cannot be defined in terms of “normally-” anything. Resistance (identified in most change methodologies) is defined by the Switch Framework as a "lack of clarity" that is remedied by good communication. Simply run a two rope between those two switches, splice onto the power in cable, and treat each set of switches as independent. If this is the case, then the power in wire (black), the power in neutral (white) and the ground (bare or green) must go to both of the first two switches, one for each light. What goes on inside the switch that actually “makes” or “breaks” a path for electric current? Don't have an AAC account? Turn off the power at your electrical panel before you begin working. This causes it to spark when he turns on the power. Simply splice new wire into the wire going to the existing light. Most multimeters have a “resistance” measurement range (“Ohms scale”) that may be used to check continuity. Dan has been a licensed journey-level electrician for some 17 years. One possibility would be to use electrical tape and wrap the entire switch, going up the side, across the top and completely around, completing the circle several times, covering those screws with several layers of tape. If that switch is also up, it will exit the switch at the common terminal on the white (colored) wire and return to the first switch. Maven Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.