How To Wire A 3 Way Light
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
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Shannon from www.house-impr... shows you how to wire a 3-way light switch. This is a scenario where you have 2 light switch locations that control a single light fixture (unless you add more to the end).
If you have questions about your home improvement projects, stop by the forum on our website, where Shannon will answer your questions in detail for free.
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Video © 2018 SKS Media. Videos produced by SKS Media (House-Improvements.com) are provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in the videos is intended to give general guidance to simplify DIY (do it yourself) projects. Because tools, products, materials, equipment, techniques, building codes and local regulations are constantly changing, SKS Media cannot and does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information contained therein. Further, SKS Media will not accept any claim for liability related to, but not limited to, omissions, errors, injury, damage or the outcome of any project. It is the responsibility of the viewer to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations for a project. The viewer must always take proper safety precautions and exercise caution when taking on any project. If there are any questions or doubt in regards to the element of a project, please consult with a licensed professional. SKS Media conducts all matters in accordance with the laws of Saskatchewan, Canada.
You put a lot of effort into this presentation and I appreciate it!
Thank you. I can't say that enough. Saved me hundred of dollars and taught me something along the way. Priceless.
No dude it was not boring at all
I’ve learn a lot in todays class.
Thank you for spreading your knowledge.
Shannon, I think you're one of the best instructors on UA-cam. Huge thanks!
s😢t
I teach (taught, for some time, and hope to teach again) a basic electrical course with this sort of model setup. I mention that to contextualize the comment: this is a great video. Super clear instruction and use of models. And, informative for me, as someone who has not had much occasion to work on (new) three way circuit components, so it’s really helpful to get the refresher. Great work. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing!
I was first trying to do the method you have in the second method. Sooo frustrated...then I found your video and realized how easy it was to switch to the first method. Set my laptop next to me and went step by step through the wiring and it worked perfect! No more fear of complicated 3 way switches for me! Thank you so much for the step by step methodical approach you took.
Yes!!! I think this is the case for me too. I have power coming into my switch, 4 shop lights and then a switch at the other end of my shop. Should I be using the bottom scenario? Seems like a lot less wire too. Thanks in advance for the answer.
Shannon you do a great job. I am an Australian with zero experience living in Germany where everyone does there own stuff and even with the differences in standards your info gets me 95% of the way there.
This is the best explanation I’ve seen of this process. Thank you!
Thank you for the second example. My head couldn’t wrap around this before your video, but it’s what I had to do.
Thank You .The top wire job l followed exactly and it went Perfect. Great Job 👍
Shannon you are a great illustrator
I watch this video about a dozen times till finally I fix my 3 way switch n follow ur instruction but the way mine were backwards and now they work how should they work. BIG THANK YOU!!!
Thank you very much! A very helpful video - as all of your others are too!
Great video helped very much now feel confident putting in three three way switches in my House. The first method
Is so simple compared to the second in my opinion.
Thank you! I wasn't sure how I was going to do this on a staircase with 2 lights and 2 switches!
Thanks for this video. I had to watch it a couple times to grasp the concept a little better.
Thanks you for the video, just wired up a couple of 3 ways. I like to check out the how too, before I do any thing any more, old and a bit rusty. Your video is a nice refresher on how too.
Thank you so much!!! I had a situation like the second half but I had 3 lights and was able to extrapolate it out. Much better than my electrical book or other videos I have watched.
The way you have this displayed is very nice, thanks!
So, so helpful!! Thank you!!!
So many times I had to go into Friends houses and fix three-way switches with multiple lights. This is the best I’ve ever seen. Excellent. It is very confusing when you have a light between two switches and people always mess them up.
I have power coming into my switch, 4 shop lights and then a switch at the other end of my shop so I can turn my light off there. Should I be using the bottom scenario? Seems like a lot less wire too. Thanks in advance for the answer.
10:34 excellent camera work
Thank you. You demonstrate and speak very well.
I love your videos. Straightforward and good demos. Keep it going
I appreciate that!
Really good video. Big help. I had you 1st example and needed to fix the common going to the lights 🎉
My garage is wired like the upper configuration, it is a bit confusing, had to have a buddy come over and explain it to me when I was adding some outlets.
Very confusing but also very awesome
Thanks for taking the time to make vidoes.
Super clear and helpful. Thanks
Very informative I appreciate it no other one said what you said and and it work what you said thank you
Glad to hear it
Beautifully done, thank you.
I wonder what the method could be to use 14-3 through the ceiling if there is a way?
It a single shorter run of 14-2 between switches?
I have 6 can lights to do. Not just 2.. so this gives me a headstart
Shannon is amazing at breaking this stuff down.
AMAZING....
Thanks you ,I have one situation in my Electric box ;
I have 3 why cable to connect with next switch 3 why
I have power cable 14/2
I have Light cable connection between lights and switch 14/2
How to connect?
Thank you!!!
Very helpful. Thank you. Nice video.
My head is spinning on the second schematic. It would help if you connected them as you explained them! Then draw a schematic of the wiring using markers and a board!
look at the wiring, that is the schematic here.
Ya, one white being used as a hot, and the other used as a neutral in that first light box is confusing. On the left side, the black and taped white should be looked at as the travelers? They just go thru to the other switch right?
Thank you very much the second one fit my situation and wiring up three lights on the 3-way was a breeze with your instructions.
Leave electrical to the professionals. Handymen keep me gainfully employed. However, they also burn down houses
I agree switch to switch then light is so much simpler. Why not keep it that way
I like the electrician, he's very handsome!!!
His boyfriend thinks he's handsome also .
Not sure if anyone asked this, but if you wanted to add a 3rd light down the road, I assume in either scenario it would have to come off the light and not the switch, correct?
I know this is a late response.....But if you run your light connection to a accessible junction box first, then now instead of jumping off the last light or any light, you can go straight to the light junction box and tie in the new lights. I do these often because customers have me come back over the years and install more lights in the same previous room. ...hope the info helped
Correct
Thank you man really helped me out!👊
Dam y did you have 2 lights on the 2nd demonstration threw me off I'm trying to wire a 3 way switch mine is the 2nd demonstration with only 1 light
This is very helpful. Thank you!
Great video. It is also worth mentioning that when installing a 3-way light switch setup and someone wants to use a dimmer switch, that only one of the 2 switches should be a dimmer switch and the other just a regular one.
That was a very good and valuable comment!! Thanks. I didn’t know that and was about to plan using two three way dimmers. Out of curiosity can you explain why you can’t use two three way dimmers on this ?
Ampacity.
I want the lights to have their independent switches too, but when just one light is on, I want the main switch to turn them both on or both off, but what happens is that it turns one off and the other one on. How do I solve this problem?
Thank you Shannon.
Shannon, I have power coming into my switch, 4 shop lights and then a switch at the other end of the shop so I can turn the lights off there. Should I be using the bottom scenario? Seems like a lot less wire too. Thanks in advance for the answer.
Either system would work.
Excellent video!
Do you have one of the second scenario with 3 or 4 lights. I am putting in 6 recessed lights with a switch at each end? I am assuming it is 12 2 wire in between each light still. Only 12 3 going to the switches.
Thanks good information
Sometimes yellow and blue are hot wires too.
If only one switch turns on both lights but the other switch doesn’t..does the red blk wire need to be switched?
Depends on what you have done for sure. We can help you on the forum easier.www.house-improvements.com/forums/
5 years too late but Great video! Exactly what I’ve been looking for all day. I could do switch switch light but lights in the middle is a bit more complicated. Or was at a least thanks to this.
Thanks for you videos
I am trying to replace 3-way switches in USA home and the current switches do look different as those in your video. How many Amp have switches used to do the video? I believe that can make the visual difference. What is recommended to use in a home for the 3-way switches (How many Amp switch should be used). Thank you
15 amp switches are all you should need on a residential 120 V light circuit.
Good master
Great video!!Question are you running awg 14 because your breaker is 15? Can I use awg 14 between LED lights and run AWG 12 between my switch and a 20amp breaker? Or should I stick with 12 for everything including led lights for a 20 amp circuit?
20 amp circuit requires all 12AWG wire
Good Video. The only thing I would have done differently is I would have had only one light just to simplify it a little.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I'm pretty handy. I'm helping daughter with a 3 way switch to a single light fixture. It hasn't worked for 10 years because someone mixed up wiring. THANKS to you I believe I can fix it! Much appreciated!
Chips, cheese, lunch meat, a nice bottle of wine for our room!
how do you connect two outlets: using 3 wires, a red a white ,and a black..?
Our forum is the best place for asking questions.www.house-improvements.com/forums/
I understand the bottom half, but the top.is confusing due to the "identified" hot wire. Someone please explain that part
I did exactly what you are showing on the first demonstration and I'm losing half of my voltage to each fixture, what would cause that?
Our forum is the best place for assistance.www.house-improvements.com/forums/
A little diagram would help,.thanks
Had to watch the second set up about 5 times to understand why you where connecting white to hot. Explanation was awesome, but being an apprentice, it was a little confusing.
Very nice!! Thank You!!
Thanks Shannon. The video "how to wire a 3-way light" was extremely helpful. This has been the best instruction on the web I have found so far.
Neutral wires are gray and white.
Thank you so much for this step-by-step tutorial. This helped me immensely to wire overhead lighting in my cargo trailer.
First year electrician trying to figure out how to wire a light in ceiling it has 4 wires in it and 2 of them are 14-3 red wire it’s a three way I can’t figure it out and homeowner isn’t happy need help!
In my forum we can help you out.www.house-improvements.com/forums/
DUDE, I'm a dumb plumber who did what a Canadian do it all guy told him what to do and I got two ceiling fans with lights working like a champ with two switches. I'm kinda proud. Thanks man.
Working on same deal
I want cut light & keep the fan running from switch.
Should I settle with pulling string switche
@@briantruck2284 I messed up one black wire.
Dude you obviously know what you're doing, at least to me, i could be your apprentice. Just sayin, in shool, i aced motor control like nobodys nobody's business. Rockin' four to six solenoid blocks with up to four pb stations, including emergency stops. You think this is dry, but i think its perfectly done. I knew instantly that was done for demonstration purposes only, and you nailed it. Ever thought about becoming a teacher? You'd be good. As long as you didnt get kids like me lols
I'm facing this same issue in the second diagram. Someone else ran the wiring but it does not work. Don't think they knew how to wire it. The problem is that they sent a 14/2 wire by itself from the 1st switch box to the 1st light on the 1st floor stairs. There is a 14/3 and 14/2 in the switch box, which is fine, but then they sent the 14/3 and 14/2 to the next switch box on the 2nd floor. from that box, they sent a 14/2 power wire to the 2nd light on the 2nd floor. So my issue is that I am not working on the light boxes at all. those will be straight connects. They went from switch box to switch box with the 14/3 and 14 /2 with a 14/2 form each box going to each light separately. I know it can be done using the 2nd scenario but all the work has to be done within the switch box instead and that where it's confusing.
post your comment in our forum and we can help from there. www.house-improvements.com/forums/
would you tell me if in the second schematic can add a THIRD LIGHT and a FAN WITH a SWITCH to turn on/off the fan motor and how to wire it.
Can you do a video on how to wire 2 ceiling fans on two switches in a double gang box... I want to be able to control lights with one switch and fan with the other...
Please ask in the forum . www.house-improvements.com/forums/
Confusing newbes with odd colored wires.
Then make a better video
Ok on the first set up how do I get the lights to run by them selfs. Where can turn either one on or off.
I have a light switch inside. Black & white wire running outside to my porch. It runs to first light. Then a black & white wire goes to outside my enclosed porch. Second light is piggie backed off that first light. I only have two wires, no grounds nor red wires.
I would like to control both lights from inside and outside. P
I feel like I've got example #1 down pretty solidly, but I still check my work while watching this video while adding 3-way switches to my home. Clear, concise explanation and easy to follow diagram. Excellent video as always.
I really like this demonstration it’s so clear and straightforward. It’s the best one I have seen. Grate teaching.
Hi please am from Italy where am studying Electrical but the language make not to perform well so please i want you to be my mentor on this field,how can i reach you in case am if there is any challenges so i can call for more information.Sir i need you to put me through about this Job i love it so much
our forum is a great place for assistance.www.house-improvements.com/forums/
I THINK IS BETTER TO BE SHOWN AS A SCHEMATIC OR WIRING DIAGRAM.
So how we could replace the bulbs to the ceiling mounted flush light without ground ?
please use our forum for questions.www.house-improvements.com/forums/
Easier to run a wire to the last switch.
I had multiple can lights (4) and i couldn't figure it out
So what im getting from all of these videos is this:
1) Tie your grounds together in each box, then tie your neutrals (whites) together in each box.
2)Put the black COMMON WIRE (from power source) to the black screw on the switch
3)Put the black and red traveler wires on the brass screws in a uniform position with the other switches as to not cause a funky working switch.
How'd I do?
Can this same wiring method be used for under cabinet LED lighting that is plugged into an outlet, and also on a dimmer switch?
You would have to 3 way the outlet. Done the same way basically. Unfortunately you cannot dim an outlet
I despise the second way. It just makes it so much more confusing. The first way is always the best.
Great video! I finally understood the wiring of a 3 way switch!
Shannon, at the time mark 8:30 you say "couple of lights in series". In fact they are connected in parallel. I know what you mean. Better word to use would be perhaps "connected in a row" or in a string. Word "series" when talking about electricity has a very specific meaning. Otherwise this is a very good demonstration.
I always work w live wire and never tell my local government
The black wire is the hot, or I can say, the hottest wire use for switch and light. In Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹, we're using brown as the live wire, black as hot, the new hot wire is black, old black wire was neutral, the green wire still ground and red is live/hot.
At the minute 3:35 you talking about supply hot. Can you elaborate on that ? I did change the switch and it is working, but other switches won't work when the one I changed is ON..
We can help you in the forum.www.house-improvements.com/forums/
I like your explanation, you are awesome.
SOME COMMENTERS THAT HAVE NO ELECTRICAL KNOWLEDGE ARE CALLING YOUR PHYSICAL WIRING A SCHEMATIC.
And?
Nope you got it right, and thank you. Was begining to doubt my training from so long ago. I was shocked to see a few videos runnin crazy stuff.
All I need is a schematic showing the color of wires.
Excellent demonstration, thank you!
If I was going to install a exterior building lights do I have to hide the junction box behind the siding or can I just attach a waterproof round box to the outside of the siding and run outdoor electrical wire on the outside of the building.
you can use a water proof box and conduit. Wire can not be left exposed on the exterior
Wiring can be exposed on the outside as long as the wiring is rated that way , And high enough where it's not exposed to physical damage
problem I ran into was thinking I had three way switches and there were actually four-way. so there were three switches one of them hidden behind a damn door that I was unaware of and they all controlled the light and I can't put them back since I disconnected everything. and can only get one switch to work consistently
Ive been an electrician for about 6 1/2 years. I dont care if you're a journeyman, master, apprentice, foreman, or fucking superman. If you wire up a 3way the way that this hack wired up the top one I'd make you redo it the right way, and not pay you to do it. You've got to be kidding me. Under no circumstance would this be necessary.
In regard to the 1st (bottom) scenaroo, Can someone tell me how many lights I could add instead of just 2? On a 15 amp breaker
well in reality you should only run breakers to 80% so a 15 amp breaker should have no more then 12 amps. On a 120volt circuit 120watts = 1amp.
So even though with LEDs this would mean you could run a lot of them on one circuit, many places have not caught their code up and still restrict you to 10 fixtures per circuit. Check with your local code to see if you can legally run more.
Great video definitely makes a lot more sense on the second scenario. I have a night mare of a problem in an attic and this literally just saved my skin
Do you have an example with 2 lights & 2 3-way switches, but the power comes through the lights first?