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Introduction
Three-way switches control power to a fixture from two separate points, allowing you to control a ceiling light from either side of a room. Three-way switches use a three-wire system composed of a power wire and two interconnecting wires called travelers. Unless you have metal conduit or armored cable, you also need a fourth, grounding wire. Power comes in through one switch, travels to the fixture and to the second switch (see Wiring Three-Ways, Power to Fixture, related projects for the ABCs of three-way switching).
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1. Begin making connections
NOTE: Shut off power. Install switch boxes and a fixture box (see Installing Boxes in Unfinished Space, Related Projects). Run two-wire cable from a junction box to the first switch box. Run three-wire cable from the first switch box to the fixture box, and from the fixture box to the second switch box. Connect all ground wires as shown (for how to connect wires, see Connecting Wires, Related Projects). At the first switch box, connect the hot wire to the common terminal on the switch (it is labeled and/or is darker than the other two). Attach traveler wires to the other two terminals.
At the second switch box, attach the red and white wires to the noncommon terminals of the switch. Wrap a piece of black tape on the white wire, both here and at the fixture box. At the fixture box, connect the two red wires, and connect the marked white wire to the black wire that comes from the first switch.
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Three-way switch wiring diagram
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2. Complete the connections
At the second switch box, connect the black wire to the common terminal on the switch. This completes the hot portion of the circuit. At the first switch box, connect the two white wires. At the fixture box, connect the white and black wires to the fixture. Once completed, either switch will operate the light.
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Completing the connections
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Find Three-Way Switches
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INSTALLING A THREE WAY SWITCH