How to wire a 3-way switch system
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- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- In this video, we learn how to wire a 3-way switch system. Hope this helps. Please leave a comment and a like if this video helped you. If you have suggestions please leave them as well.
Every effort is made to show correct and safe procedures and practices, however, you should follow this video at your own risk. If you are ever in doubt about your abilities and resources, it's always better to consult a professional.
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I cannot believe how simple you have made this for us all. It all has to do with the mechanics of step 1, 2, 3, etc. Thank you for all you do for us non electricians trying to figure it out. Please give ths video a huge THUMBS UP!!! He deserves it and has earned it.. If you just came by for curiosity, and not really doing any house wiring, still take a second and give him a thumbs up, and subscribe to his channel.. He's a wealth of knowledge and needs to be compensated in this way And no, I am not related to him only knows he put out a great video and clarified such an important public service for understanding three way switch hookup. God bless him for all he does.
This is the easiest to follow video I found online so far!
I'm happy to hear it was helpful
Excellent explanation. Just a tip for the direction of wire wrap on the terminals. It’s supposed to be wrapped in the direction of the screw tightening.
You have def taken the guess work out of this mysterious lightning scenario. 👍🏻🤛🏽
Thanks for getting to the point and for the excellent explanation! Unlike your video , so many others take 20 minutes to explain 5 minutes worth of info. Good job , thanks !
Exactly what I needed to learn when the toggle on our 3-way ceiling light switch broke. THANK YOU!!!!
I'm an electrician helper, I've watched videos but this one is so well explained. Thank you!!!!
This is by far the BEST explanation of a 3-way switch wiring that I have ever seen!!
It's this simple. The neutrals don't connect to the switches. The two wires (of the14-3 wire) that are NOT the ground connect to the brass screws. The black screws on both switches are the continuation of the power coming from the panel to the light(s). I've watched dozens of videos dozens of times over three years. I am now wiring the second building on my property and finally get three-way switching. If you think you are a simpleton this is the video for you. Thank you. The light in my head is finally on, lol.
By far the most informative and simplistic explanation of how to run a 3way switch. Legit a life saver or Atleast a stress saver haha. Thanks for the informative video
I watched two different videos prior to this one, this one put them both the shame thank you so much!
Thank you very much Phillip. I'm happy to hear that
Agreed!!!!
My god this type of switch and wiring is prehistoric looking . This is actually called two way switching ( is called 3 way in america ) .
A switch with wrap terminal is gone with the dinosaurs.
Best way to wire a two way switch is to take the live wire ( feed from board ) to the common on switch 1 .
On switch 2 run the switch wire ( wire that goes to your light) to the common .
Now link both switches with a set of strappers ( two brown cables ) from l1 to l1 . ( FIRST WIRE ) .
L2 TO L2 ( SECOND WIRE ) . AND THATS IT .
I agree Phillip I also watched two (very confusing) videos prior to this one. I watched this one and was able to wire my three-way switch correctly the first time. Many thanks Skills and Trade!!
That's a fact
OMG! Finally! I have an old house and I bought a cheap replacement Leviton switch ( for $1 ) and it literally has no labels on it. Not even an on/off on the front of the plastic switch. the old switch someone put in was a motion switch. It had no labels either. Plus this house is so old that there is no ground wire. So I literally had just 2 black lines going into the back of the old switch not labeled. I have no prior experience with changing switches out but I watched a few other videos on it and I thought it would be okay. Wrong! However, Your video was PERFECT!!! You are the only one that told me that the black screw was where I needed to connect the load wire! If not for your Video, I would have never figured it out and had to call an electrician out for a simple thing, and felt like an idiot for having to pay a ton of money for it! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for a valuable video. I lived with a half-functioned switch pairs for 10 years, believing the wiring behind the wall is snapped somehow. After viewing the video, tried some lucks suspecting the switch wiring could be wrong. Sure enough, this is the case. Followed your techniques in the video and fixed a 10 years sorry toggle switch wrong wiring. Thank you again.
Simple and well demonstrated. The right way and very brief.
Thank you.
This is an EXCELLENT video for instruction...Step by Step n time to absorb info..watched a BUNCH of other videos from Master electricians to DIYers... This blows them all away..Thank you
I’ve watched six videos about this before yours. Yours broke it down very simply. Thank you.
Dude thank you so much for using correct terminology when referring to the wires. This was so helpful!
So happy to see you didn't backstab the switch like everywhere else I've done work. It's sad to see that someone didn't take an extra second to do it right.
Thank you!! The wiring in my home was done in 1980, and not everything looked like it did in this video, but it did help me figure out the problem, so for that.. thank you. Followed a couple other guides to no avail. This worked 1st time!
Glad it helped you!
FYI..if you're trying to get each switch to operate the light with no disruption, you need to flip the second switches wiring in reverse. Black load wire to top bronze terminal and travel wire to bottom black terminal. That'll create an infinite switch loop. (Otherwise one light switch will have to be on for the other to control it too).
@PHANTOM Correct. So the "main" switch that gets the power supply, that one should be wired just like this video. However, the second switch should be reversed. Take your load wire and put it to the bronze terminal on the second switch. Then take your travel wire and put it on the bottom black terminal on the second switch. This creates a "rocker" between the two switches.
isnt it always on? if its “off” then u just switch ur second switch to “off” too each of em operate the light no matter if its on or off as long as it completes the circuit w any of the travelers from any point
Very clear, concise, easy to hear. Thank you for this video.
Excellent, simple and concise. Best explanation I've seen on youtube.
Excellent simplistic instruction thank you so much for the beginner like me
Excelente, short, simple and easy to understand.
Thank you very much
Had to watch twice. Paused it at every connection. Turned out perfect. Thanks
Thanks Skills and Trade. You just saved me a couple hundred bucks from your video because now I can do the 3 way switch myself without having to call an electrician. I have the voltage detector and I always switch off the breakers. Thanks again.
Thank you Troy, I'm happy to help
Thanks for helping me out! The cheap instructions that came with my switch had the layout different than mine. Your directions made it easy!
The best 3 way video explanation I've seen yet. Makes perfect sense to me.
I have watched countless videos regarding this topic and you by far have the best explanation.
Very clear, very helpful and to the point - thank you!
Helluva tutorial, simplified things dramatically, recently installed one of these switch setups with much ease, Thanks.
J. Sterling hiii
Boom. Solved my issue in 15 minutes of work. Great video
This is the best video I've seen on 3-way switch systems...much thanx!!!
Simplicity is the key.. great explanation.
Thank you very much. I was trying to wire a three-way switch and my head just didn't work to figure it out. Your video gave me the answer thanks again.
your teaching is so perfect. very easy to understand.
Most simple and straight forward explanation I’ve seen yet.👏🏾👍🏾😊
Definitely!
Amen to that ...
The best!!! Thank you for the very detailed but simple explanation.
Thank you so much for explaining this. I have watched so many videos and they confused the heck out of me to the point of a headache. This, I could follow to a T. Thank you.
I just watched several other videos. They were WAY too technical. The basic premise as it turns out is simple (thanks to this video). Identify the line in wire and put it on the black terminal, and then put the other two traveler wires on the remaining brass fittings. No common wires used, so wire tie them together in each box, and if you have a box where the switch is not grounded to the box, attach the ground wire(s) to the ground terminal on the switch. I'm assuming if the cut in box is metal and the ground wire(s) are attached to the box and the switch is grounded to the box, there is no need to attached the ground directly to the switch. Mine works fine that way, so I'm assuming that is correct. Worst case, I could have run a ground jumper from the termination on the metal cut in box to the ground terminal on the switch. Thanks for the great video. It was FAR less confusing than the others.
Thank you. It's a task that has always confused me and I have to look it up whenever I work on one of these pairs That was simple, and perfect.
Thank you for this simple explanation. Very helpful!
You're very welcome, thank you for checking out my video.
Thank you ever so much for this informative video. You truly made it look extremely easy to do. I'll try it myself now! 🙂
Thank you !
GREAT VIDEO.
Simple and Well-Explained.
Thank You.
Making America Great Again 🇺🇸
I saw your video and it was the only one I watched. Explained perfectly and was just the right sequence that I was going for. Thank you for taking the time, worked the first time. Kudos to you!
Thank you very much. I'm very happy that you enjoyed it.
I had watched other videos and wasn’t getting it but now that I watched this one i got it simple thank you 🙏
Great video to the point and easy for a novice like myself to follow. Thank you for sharing .
Hold up, hold up, hold up
When you hook the conductor onto the screw make sure that the tip of the hook is going in a clock wise direction around the screw , ( hook it the opposite way of the video) this is so that when you tighten the screw the copper will wrap around the screw as you tighten
And also you do not want insulation under the screw , strip the insulation to a point to where the copper is not past the back of the device but also the insulation is not under the screw
Would be great to actually see the conections to the switches clearly
Wirea olson furnace
Tortàral forwireingaolson
you wire each switch the same exact way with exception of the cable going to the light itself. Basically the switches have to face the same way to have a successful connection, that's why theyre not labelled with on/off. As long as the orientation of the black screw is the same in each box then it makes it easier to hook everything up.
Good job. no messing around. Clarity.
Your wiring explanation is neat and simplified. I like it.
Well done. Short, to the point, informative, and no BS. Thanks!
Clean and simple.Thank you.
Finally someone who knows how to make a video! Thank you for this
man!
Thanks for sharing. Best video I've seen for easy explanation...
You're very welcome, I'm happy to know you enjoyed it
nicely put, simple and to the point. thank you.
Thanks for the helpful video.
Your “Alright”’s remind me of The Carving Guy meme videos here on CZcams.
he wrapped the wires in the first switch screws counter clockwise and the second clockwise. did the same thing with the ground wire. I think they should all be clockwise as the screw turns
You are correct. ALL wires should wrap in a clockwise fashion so as to make the wrap tighter as the screw is tightened. Also, in one instance, it looked like some insulation was trapped under a screw head on one of the travelers. A definite no-no. Sloppy workmanship.
Wow, good for you. Nice catch - you win. I was here to learn. I didn’t even think to criticize
@@timdolan4591 In the description Skills and Trade asked people to leave suggestions which is what shantor100 did. Richard Fallstich went a little further...
I'm in the commercial/industrial trade, and yeah, should've been clockwise, and also electrical tape should've been wrapped around the terminals. Also that looks like 12g, not 14g. Could be wrong 🤔
@@Jason_Van_Stone You don't need to wrap with electrical tape.
You might as well say that you fixed my switches! Thanks!
Excellent video, right to the point. unlike the long winded 12 minute video I stopped watching. great job.
Best video. Explained well and straight to the point.
To be simply put; 14/2 is the main power (coming in) to switch (1) 14/3 links the 2 switches together and 14/2 is connected (leaving) switch (2) then to the light..
In this scenario 14/3 is ONLY used to link the 2 switches together enabling them both to "communicate" together to operate the same light. The 'red' wire is the 'link' .... also... both switches must always come first in the chain before the light..
great job, well explained, simple solved my problem! Thanks dude.
Thank you so much for your excellent explaining and the simplicity of the video
Absolutely no non sense instructions. Thank you so much
thanks this helped me fix my laundry room light now I can turn the light on from either switch!
Finally an easy video to follow.
Union Wireman here. Great vid !
It's a shame MY house was wired in 1993 by a blind 3rd grader. Otherwise, this video would have actually been helpful.
Very good explanation. Best video on the subject.Thanks!👍
thank you very much for sharing that with us. I really appreciate it I just did it. it came out great thank you for your patience in your education the way you do it and the way you showing it's great when you have that close up on the camera thank you worked out great. I just subscribe to your channel by the way God bless your family and friends.
Thank you once again God bless your family and friends you don't know how happy I am..😁😁😁😁😁👍
Thank you, i just solved my 3 way issue.
Excellent job very helpful for my upcoming project
Simple enough. Very informative.
Excellent concise explanation!
Thank you brother.very well explained
Great video and great explanation. I wish you had slowed down the video a bit when you were connecting the second switch so I could see what wire connected to which terminal better. I also always wrap the switch terminals with black electrical tape. I don’t know if that’s necessary because I don’t see that often on these videos.
thanks very clear video and simple to follow, this is my 3rd video the other two were hard to understand.
Great video! Simple and to the point. 👍🤙🤘🇺🇸
Quick and to the point with zero bs👍
You are the best comparing to other videos my frienc
Use a pair of line man pliers to twist the conductors together, the trick is to use a light grip initially in order to get a nice shape then with a strong grip twist the copper together shape , cut the very tip of twisted copper off , make sure your wire nut connections are extremely tight , you can even use the line man’s pliers to get another twist on them after your fingers can’t twist them any tighter , use the little hole on the side of the strippers to bend you a hook in a clock wise direction , hook on to the screw and use your strippers to squeeze the hook together, then first use Philips screw driver to get the screw snug then use a big flat screw driver to tighten the screw the tightest it can get , make sure that all screws that are not in use on the device are fastened down and snug.l, do not leave the extra screws out because this can cause issues , make sure your ground wire is fold in the box and pushed away from the screws on the device
-ELECTRICAN
This goes for installing any device ,
Thank you for the help! Great video and explanation.
Your video was excellent!!! You explained it so easy! Thank you so much!!!
excellent video, direct to the the point and accurate
You are the best thank you
Thanks so much for teaching the other
thank you like the other comments right to the point
At 1:40 the wire is supposed to be wrapped around clock wise. It just helps when you tighten it’ll grab the wire. If you it do it counter clock wise it’ll push the wire out.
Hi, ty so much for a very helpful video on this topic, it’s very clear and informative step by step very understandable, excellent video ty, Bob,
Outstanding! Very well done with great commentary!
Good video for people that have some house wiring / electrical experience. Would have been a good idea to show a diagram and explain what you were doing for people with out basic electrical knowledge.
Great video! now explain a "carter" 3 way system!
Thank you. Simple and precise.
Excellent simple just how you would show someone on the job, good stuff.
Its a good video but I recommend you try to leave the least amount of exposed conductor so chop off all that excess ground. Also when hooking on the wires to the switch make sure the hook is clockwise. In the video you put the hook counterclockwise which can risk the wire not having good contact
Awesome job explaining and demonstrating. 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank you very much, I'm happy to hear it was helpful.
So it’s 14/2 wire coming in with power then 14/3 wire between the switches and 14/2 wire again out to the light? Thanks for the video my friend , very detailed. Subscribed
Yes, that is correct. Thank you
@@SkillsandTrade whta if there is one 14/2 and two 14/3 wires?
robert keyes u can cap off the red wire assuming the installation isn’t weird
Ought to also show running the feed to the light box, the other way to wire a 3 way. I typically run all my lighting circuit feeds to the ceiling boxes with a switch leg down to the box with the switch. IF I ever have a problem, I go looking in the ceiling boxes to start.
Thank you so much! Nicely done video!!
You just made me some money😅