Inside is a single pole double throw switch which provides each switch with an option to connect the common terminal with either the red or black traveler terminal. If we remove the switch covers and look inside we can see how these 3-way light switches work. We also bring in the ground wire from the electrical panel and connect to each of the switches. We bring in the neutral wire from the power source and connect directly to the light. From the common terminal on switch #1 we connect to the light. We do the same thing for the Red traveler wire. Then we route the Black traveler wire for switch #2 to switch #1. The incoming electrical power will connect to the common terminal of switch #2. With this layout we have the light fixture between the two switches. The two traveler terminals can be on the same side of the switch or on opposite sides of the switch depending on the switch manufacturer. They can match with both on red or both on black, but not black/red or red/black. When the two separate 2-way switches match on their traveler wires the light goes on, when they don’t match the light goes off. Its like the game of concentration where you turn over two playing cards trying to get them to match. Within the switch either one of the traveler terminals is connected to the common terminal, which can make or break the circuit depending on the position of the other switches traveler terminal matching or not. A 3-way switch won’t have an on/off designation that can be found on standard switches, as either position could be on or off. We have two traveler terminals, which are usually identified by their light color of bronze or copper, a ground terminal in green, and a common terminal often a dark color. If we look at a 3-way switch, we’ll see that it has four terminal screws. 3-Way Switch for Controlling a Light or Fan How do 3-Way Light Switches Work? Whenever working with electrical be sure to shutoff the power at the electrical panel, and hire a qualified electrician to do the installation if you are not confident that you can do the job safely. 3-Way Switch Wiring Explained Electrical Safety Warning To watch the FREE YouTube version of this presentation, scroll to the bottom or click on the following link. We’ll show several different wiring configurations. In this presentation we’ll learn how to control a light using a 3-way switch, which is convenient when there are two or more entrances to a room, or an upper and lower stairwell. However, we use the 12-gauge wires because they can handle more power if you have a bigger appliance connected to the outlet.3-Way Switch Wiring Explained. In case you just want to do the wiring for lights alone, then a 14-gauge wire can do the job. The 12 gauge wire is generally used for lighting and outlets. Can You Use 12/2 and 12/3 for Lighting Circuits? It is only that you can configure it differently. Looking at how much current the 12/3 can carry, we find it is the same as that of 12/2. Any circuit connection should always have ground. In both cases, there will be a bare ground wire too. The additional red wire makes the 12/2 a good pick for three-way switches. It is easy to differentiate the two because of the additional conductor. They include black for live, white for neutral, and red for life also. The 12/3 has similar construction, only that there are three conductors this time around rather than two. The black one is for hot or live wire, and the white one is for the neutral wire. That is not all the second number after ” / ” means the cable has two conductors. These are vital cables that can carry up to 20A of current. Starting with the 12/2, we find that it features 12 gauge wires. That is why we look into how 12/2 and 12/3 differ and where best to use both wires. Understanding how the wires are categorized is vital in knowing how best to use them also.
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