They are called switch legs use the voltage tester to determine the hot wire before turning off the power. Connect the wires to the new 3 way switches with ground screws using one of the two wiring diagrams fig.
Ddd6e 3 Gang Light Switch Wiring Diagram Wiring Resources
How to wire a 3 gang light switch. Install a 3 wire cable from the first switch box to the light fixtures box. Each of the gangs or switches above in fig 2 of which there are three work like this fig 3. Cut three six inch lengths of 14 solid thhn black. It is the only powered wire when the main breaker is on. One of the wires is the power feed. The black wire from each light is connected to one of the switches and the source neutral and ground are shared by the two light.
Once twisted together screw a wire nut in place over the twisted ends. Cut three 6 inch lengths of bare copper wire and make a four way pigtail splice with the bare copper conductor entering the gang box. Cut five six inch lengths of 14 solid. White black and red plus a bare ground wire. Feed a length of 14 3 type nm cable or 12 3 if youre connecting to 12 gauge wire between the two boxes. How to wire three switches in a gang box.
In position 1 when the switch is down or on com and l1 are connected together just like the one way switchin position 2 when the switch is up or off com and l2 are connected together. 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. Place the ends side by side and twist tightly together in a clockwise direction using the electricians pliers. It is also called the hot wire the remaining three go to the three light fixtures that the switches will control. The 14 3 cable has three insulated conductors. Three wire cable is supplying the source for the switches and the black and red wires are each connected to one switch.
Turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker panel. You will need three black wire pigtails and five green wire pigtails. This diagram shows two switches in the same box with a separate 120 volt source feeding each.
Gallery of How To Wire A 3 Gang Light Switch
