Take a closer look at a 3 way switch wiring diagram. This 3 wire is used for the travelers and the neutral.
4 Way Switch Wiring Diagram House Electrical Wiring Diagram
3 way switch power at switch. In this light switch wiring diagram the power feed joins the circuit via the light fixture where a two wire cable c2 runs from the light to the first 3 way switch sw1 and a 3 wire cable c3 joins the two switches. The black line wire connects to the common terminal of the first 3 way switch. On the other three way switch the load wire the load is the wire that feeds power to the light fixture gets connected to the copper or black screw terminal. The ground wire is pigtailed with a wire connector at the switch boxes and the ceiling box. On one of the 3 way switches a line or hot wire gets connected to the copper or black screw terminal. Power through switch light is controlled by two three way switches with the light between the switches and the power first going through a switch then to the light and onto the second three way switch.
Typical 3 way switch wiring nm cable. A 3 wire nm connects the traveler terminals of the first and second 3 way switch together. Traveler wires are interchangeable. This might seem intimidating but it does not have to be. Then a 3 wire 143 123 is run between switches from the first s3 to the second s3. A 2 wire 142 122 feed is pulled from the nearest source of power like a receptacle to the first 3way switch box.
This 3 way switch wiring diagram shows how to wire the switches and the light when the power is coming to the light switch. The hot source is spliced to the white wire which should be marked as being hot with black tap and run through to the common terminal of sw1 and from here the hot from the light is spliced through to the common terminal of the second 3 way switch sw2. In this diagram the incoming hot wire attaches to the first switchs common dark colored terminal. The three way switch is a variation of the standard single pole switch which controls a light only from one location. Then a 4 wire cable going between the two 3 way switches and then a 3 wire cable going from the switches to the load. 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.
Each 3 way switch in these examples are controlling the power source to the same load. Fixture between two three way switches. In the 1st diagram below a 2 wire nm cable supplies power from the panel to the first switch box. 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. The two hot wires of three wire cable connect to a pair of brass colored traveler terminals on each switch. When wiring a 3 way switch circuit we will be using a 3 wire cable known as romex coming from the source such as the breaker box.
Pick the diagram that is most like the scenario you are in and see if you can wire your switch. With these diagrams below it will take the guess work out of wiring. First meaning the closest s3 to power. 3 way switch wiring diagram.
Gallery of 3 Way Switch Power At Switch
