3 wire cable connects the switches a 3 wire cable with a ground wire is installed between the two 3 way switches which provides the switching between the two switches and returns power back to the first 3way light switch. Troubleshooting three way switches will involve determining whether the switch is bad or not.
Troubleshooting 3 Way 4 Way Switches Wiring Diagrams Diagram
3 way switch troubleshooting. There are many ways that a three way switch can be wired but usually power or the light fixture connect to the load. There should be continuity between the. Any pair of switch screws or dimmers wires that are the same color as each other are for a traveler pair. Turn off the power at the circuit breaker remove the 3 wires from each of the switches and make sure that none. 3 install the first. Scott first gives an explanation of the three way switch two switches that control one light fixture.
2 turn the power back on. 1 turn off the power to the circuit at the main panel. Now using your multimeter you are going to determine which of the three colored wires is. Identifying the common wires. Disconnect all three wires or four if the outlet is grounded. Remove the two 3 way.
Test a 3 way switch turn off power to the switches at the circuit breaker and using a tester make sure power is off. The only wire in a multiple switch system that is hot all the time when all the switches of. Identify the power source and connect it to the dark point screw or the single screw at one end of the 3 way switch at the first switch location. How three way switches work a three way switch will always have power at two poles. 3 way switch troubleshooting the two travelers are in the same cable with each other. In this step you will be turning the power back on do not touch any of the wires previously removed with.
In this case the traveler wire and load wire were swapped and. You can use a voltage tester to find out. Using a continuity tester check continuity between the common black terminal and each of the traveler terminals. How to troubleshoot an improperly wired 3 way switch step 1.
Gallery of 3 Way Switch Troubleshooting
