How To Wire Up A Three Way Light Switch

There will be an additional wire needed often red to connect the switches together to a dedicated screw or input on the switch that is specifically marked for this purpose.

How to wire up a three way light switch. Add an electrical box for the second 3 way switch in the basement. Turn off the power to the switch at the circuit or fuse panel. In this wiring the two brass or gold terminals are interconnected through travelers wires while the line terminal is connected to the hot wire from circuit breaker. Wiring a three way light switch.

To wire a 3 way light switch you ll need 2 3 way light switches 2 2 wire non metallic cables 1 3 wire non metallic cable and 2 6 inch grounding wires. Turn off the correct circuit at your electrical panel. With a pair of 3 way switches either switch can make or break the connection that completes the circuit to the light. To control the light bulb from more than 2 places use an intermediate or four way switch in between the three way switches.

This first step will eventually send power directly to the light fixture. Two common screws and two brass screws not counting the ground screw. Then use a voltage tester to make sure that the circuit is dead. Wire nut the neutral white wires together.

A three way light switch is one where you have two switches that have the ability to control the same light or set of lights. Unscrew and remove the switch plate. This is the existing white neutral wire coming into the box and the new white neutral wire from the 3 wire romex you re going to use to connect the other 3 way switch you will install in a minute. To replace a three way switch follow these steps.

Unscrew the switch from the electrical box and pull it out with the wires still attached. Therefore the 2 switches the light 3 way. It s likely you ll also need to replace the existing switch box with a larger one to accommodate the extra wires for the 3 way switch. First run a 2 wire cable from the wall power to the black screw on 1 of the switches.

Connect the white or neutral wires together in the gang box. Currently you have a total of four white wires. A four way switch has an extra common screw to bring the total number of screws up to four. Four way circuits are just a tad different than three way circuits mostly since the light switch that you add in has to be a four way switch rather than just another three way switch.

Use a yellow wire nut and twist all four wires together.