3 - way switches explained

This video is a step by step demonstration on how 3 way switches are installed. The one thing to remember is that the colored screws on the switches is known as the POINT or PIVOT. it is the only place that your feed or switch leg should be attached too.
The TRAVELERS are the set of two wires that carries power from one switch to the other and should never be placed on the colored screws of the switch.
If you would like to contact me with a specific question email me at [e-mail]
Thanks and have a great day!!

[@MartyZaluski]

You win the prize for the most practical instructions on wiring three-way switches. Thank you so much!

[@ralphjiavarone]

Without a doubt should be the one and only explanation out there for everyone right before how to change a tire 😂 great job.

[@faysalkus1083]

It has been many years since I did a three way switch. Thanks for reminding me of proper procedures.

[@sammybrown84]

I have 4 three way switches in my dad’s house which I am selling. After getting a testing device to find feed wire, I should have no problem fixing the two I couldn’t get to work. Thank You very much!

[@Heyu46]

You, sir, are the opitomy of confidence! I've followed your instructions many times in the past, only to see the results I had hoped for! Thank you for just being YOU! No sales pitching, no 30 min rhetorical explanations, and best yet, your confidence! I'm guessing in school you were extremely reluctant to do a class presentation? If my theory is correct, you have taken that fear and made it your b***h! Your the Best! Thank You, Craig!

[@glowell24]

Thank you Craig. 2 hours trying to figure it out myself then I found your video and 5 minutes later it's done. Great job Great video.

[@diversedad7954]

Getting ready to wire up lights and switches in my shop. Just watched like 4 videos on how to do a 3 way. Was still confused until I found your video. Thank you! Now lets see if I can do it!

[@alfredlaplouse8382]

Best 3-way switch video. Finally, I am confident in doing it. Great instructor. Thanks.

[@mikeanddebrabigwolf2868]

The BEST explanation of 3-way wiring-ever! Thank you for being so thorough!!!

[@anzorgvichiani8026]

Agree. As a beginner this is best video i have found

[@fodaymansaray6112]

Thank you so much my brother U are the best instructor in wiring a three way switches.

[@robertsaunders9733]

I am Sooo glad I found your video. I was running around in circles trying to figure this out. You are on point. Thanks!

[@losviajesdesiul7503]

I was completely messed up until I watched this video. 👍 Kudos for the clear explanation!

[@WilliamIozzino]

Great instructional video, the best three-way switch explanation I have seen. I also like how you showed how to dress the wires properly.

[@slee9875]

There I was, attempting to wire my first WiFi smart switch, which also happened to be my first 3-way switch. This video made it happen, thanks for taking the time.

[@richmac918]

I've done a lot of wiring in my homes over the years including 3 way switches but I find that when I haven't been doing any projects for a few years and then attempt to wire one up I have to stop and think about it, sometimes for longer than I'd like to admit. Very glad I found your video. I'm in the process of gutting a summer cottage and will be rewiring the place shortly. I've laid out the wiring and I'll be using 3 way switches in at least half a dozen locations so this is a great refresher.

[@alekjuskevice]

Your constantly explaining, including different terms, is very helpful. Nice job. Thank you

[@timothygingras6939]

That my friend was an excellent tutorial on how to wire three way switches. my hat is off to you.

[@mikeangelgarcia664]

Mr. Sparky you are a good Very good Instructor, very explaing the 3 way switch.

[@kennethbogle4359]

Appreciate your videos Craig. Please make many more covering several topics.

[@christophermoore5829]

Simple and precise ! Thanks for a great demo

[@Grandmamagamer]

OMG! Thank you. I have a rose colored screw and know one has mentioned a rose colored screw only black colored! Thank you sooooo much!

[@whatsitmatter672]

So many books and videos and you finally make sense. Hoping I just run another traveler over to another switch in same box for outside light? Anyone?

[@emoney9295]

Great explanation you've really jogged my memory since high school I took up electrical work there but haven't really used it in yrs thank you

[@harrypotterharry7994]

Kkkm

[@kluckey19691]

That was an awesome explanation! Thank you so much. Now I can fix my three way switch that must be crossed.

[@chrispossessky1249]

Thanks for the explanation - I now understand how it works and I fixed my problem.

[@anonvideos8438]

Best video I have seen on this topic

[@nigelr8522]

Thank so much dude, this was driving me nuts.

[@manuelvalladares5004]

Perfect explanation craig! Thank you

[@donbarson2065]

super video, the "point" made it all come alive for me

[@masterphotog4131]

Thank you for an easy to understand video, keep up the good work!

[@mitchellgarrett5124]

Thank you for taking the time to teach teacher!!

[@dedofofo8985]

Thank you so much this is the best video I saw explain for three way switch 👍👍👍

[@alinajmi4004]

Excellent presentation I fully understood your lesson, I appreciate the lesson, thank you

[@markmccrudden9642]

Thanks funnt that I couldnt find a video that explained this. Cheers!

[@hallsongolf]

Great job, never understood this until now, fixed my issue,

[@goofusmcgee1706]

Thanks for the great information. You are very good at explaining this sparky stuff. Thumbs up Bro!

[@SquirrelsForAll]

Thanks, Craig! This was very helpful!

[@guillermogarcia2516]

Hg3f

[@JayDogg1968]

Awesome Explanation.....

[@SgtBooker44]

Great explanation. Even I understand it. Now to go out and fix the cross wired 3 way in the garage.

[@jarrettshirleygarcia9181]

Again Thank You, I did it and it worked. AWESOME VIDEO

[@dougmoore224]

Hmmm...excellent tutorial.....well spoken and highly intelligent....thank you !

[@towdoctor670]

That was very helpful I will refer to this again when I actually wire the switches.

[@blessedkofi8880]

Thanks a lot for your lectures That's so great

[@markshelton735]

Thanks for vid. Helped me get my problem fixed!

[@FSAUDIOGUY]

Good Stuff Craig! Subbed!

[@paulshanahan2199]

Great video easy to understand thank you so much!

[@shamus0flynn509]

Great video. Thanks for the help.

[@tracytracyWM]

Perfect explanation! Thank you!

[@kenspice457]

Guy kpiind\ BHIh but cynical8h

[@TheOttoreyes]

Thank you very much! Totally useful!!

[@lsatenstein]

Your explanation is correct when the breaker pair terminate at one of the switches. I am in a 1950 Constructed home and there is a difference when the breaker and three way switches all terminate at the octogon box. 1) The breaker (white-black) pair terminates at the light's octogon box. 2) Each three way's cable from the switches terminates at the octogon box. 3) The travelers from the two switches are white+red. and they are marrated, white-to-white and red-to-red. 4) The white from the breaker cable and white from the light socket are joined (maratted). Left to connect are one black from each switch and one black from the breaker. 5) One black wire from the breaker goes to one black wire of one 3way switch, not to both black switch wires. 6) the remaining black wire goes to the hot side connector of the light socket. Done. If you were just replacing the one light socket with LED potlamps, there is no need to touch the switch connections. If you run into problems because you replaced existing switches with more modern ones.. 7) Just inspect that the switches are connected with black to the discolored screw (as per video diagram), and the white+red to the traveler connection screws. Usually, in older houses such as mine, rewiring was done to replace a fixture with LED pot lamps, wired in parallel. The wiring description within the video is for new construction. I am describing 1950 electric code practices that I encountered. I am in Canada, it could be that the standard for traveler pair are white-red. .

[@haideral-shahee2656]

I agreed with you Leslie!! [e-mail]

[@marcogomez1515]

Thank you very much...the best explanation ever...you did great...

[@pillcosby777]

thanks. have no idea how much this helps.

[@jackgunter3999]

Great explanation..... thank you sir!!!!

[@TEBCO123]

thank you so much. great video.

[@gregtransportationllc7347]

Great instructions

[@juantrejo10]

Love the video keep up the videos and thank u brother

[@tsokhmer7168]

Great explanation 👌

[@jarrettshirleygarcia9181]

Thank you, will try to fix my 3 way.

[@jemalwright3414]

GREAT VIDEO!!!!!

[@ronnielackey4527]

Always twist your grounds together with pliers before installing wire nut, then crimp a ferrule on them to assure proper bonding. Great video still thanks

[@MNLanger]

Great review of a 3-way switch. Best I've seen so far. TY!

[@razamehdi7962]

Extremely satisfied, problem solve

[@jasonutter3989]

wow why cant school just show me these videos wtf! thank you

[@dereckjohnson3902]

Good job brother

[@nathantschetter1264]

Thanks for this good video, Ill see what I can do

[@juancarlostermini6499]

It was really helpful

[@patricianyama8489]

I appreciate you so much keep it up bro

[@brianhenson6141]

Yes at least I can see where the red and black wires go but the commen in other videos and electrical guides is normally the white wire but I guess not in this application as he's using the black hot wire but of course the two white wires always get twisted together and stuffed away in light switch applications, at least I know that much LOL, so this video was more helpful than many of the other videos out there

[@bigboymusik9432]

I got it now...thank you

[@scullynne]

Great 👍 job

[@kid3764]

Great video and explanations. Great detail and workmanship.. 👍👍👍 Can u explain the Flux Capacitor??

[@felixcampos1318]

You are really good 😊

[@kam4245]

Thank you 🙏🏾

[@Frankyouknow]

Thank you!

[@Bushrookie820]

God I really appreciate our electrical in Australia

[@jesuscuellar332]

Great 👍 thanks

[@LaGrasa617]

Thank you.

[@thefarmlifeinhd]

Thanks!

[@alifrej]

Thanks.

[@RobertLee-gi3vq]

so were using a 14/2 wire to feed the switch and a 14/3 wire to go from switch to switch and than using a 14/2 wire to go from the switch to the light fixture ?

[@dperez-tv1lr]

thanks dawg

[@Acrylicimpressions]

I have a white hot wire in box B of the three way switch. Does that go into the black common screw? There is no neutral in this box unless the hot white wire is the neutral

[@1955Brummie]

At last, I understand!

[@joelalleman9591]

just recently replaced an aging ballast in my fluorescent fixture on a 3 way circuit . When I was checking voltage for on and off at the fixture , I still had 53 volts with the circuit in the off position ? This circuit has 1 very old 3 way switch in it , could you give me some advice on possible problem with this off position voltage ?

[@threekingsandi]

Craig. Having a problem installing a light with dimmer switch. There are three wires in the light socket. When connecting the light fixture, it powers on but the switches will not break the circuit. Any suggestions to solve this, please.

[@Fishin4ever4life]

Just found this channel and you've got a subscriber in me.

[@craigmichaud-electricalins4602]

Thank you!!! I appreciate the support!! CM

[@JM-cb6gh]

How would the connections go when there are 2 lights controlled by 2 switches ? Do you have any videos on this or suggested videos/diagrams ?

[@getofly313]

Wondering the exact same thing, great question! Hope we can get a video or explanation asap

[@phl_knives]

Running into an issue with an old 3 way switch in a 50s house with only black, white and ground. No red. Getting one switch to turn on and off only while the 2nd switch is turned on. Otherwise no juice to the replacement. Any suggestions? Great video. Well explained. 👍

[@mikegomez5796]

What voltage should u see on the load side. When power is off? Ive seen this in a house where the neutral to hot is giving out 10 volts. I've seen another house giving out 60 volts. Is this normal

[@YevZakharov]

Curios if there's a way to have both 3 way switches aligned. Meaning, the rocker switches are both facing down when the light(s) is turned off. I'm guessing it's as simple as turning the entire switch upside down before mounting it in the box? Just a bit of OCD on my part...

[@adamschwarz1388]

love you Craig. I am an apprentice but I have some time off due to the pandemic. I just don't want to be rusty when I get back. this is something that confuses me at work too but the jmen just keep laughing at me and telling me eventually it'll come to me. I just get lost at which wire goes to the light.and how is there two feeders. any of you experts out there also please reply just incase Craig never sees this.

[@bob56063]

Great video Craig ! I do have a question though. Doesn't the same color traveler wires need to go to the same screws on both switches ? Thank You ! Bob

[@juanrobles8015]

Did you use a 14-3 wire to connect your travelers and then a 14-2 to the light? Is that why I only see one red on the second switch?

[@johncarini9439]

In my situation the power feed and the light wires and the feeder all originate in one box and the other box/switch(2)just gets the feeder. How is box 2 wired? Thanks

[@ryanmacewen511]

I have 3 switches, one light. I pulled covers, and find 2 3-ways, and 1 4-way. One of the 3-ways has blacks twisted together, of course. Grr. I'm thinking power feed is in the lights box. Guess, I pull the breaker, unhook switches and find out whats what. I'm looking to install a motion dimmer 3-way at one switch location. I do have access to all sides of light box, and tops of walls.

[@richardmarsh3879]

I have an older house and all the wires to my 3 way switch in by my front door and in my carport are black and white so how do I find out which ones are the travelers?

[@danschumacher5427]

Good

[@ramirorosiles7448]

Does it matter what terminals you use as your travelers? Red traveler wire has to be in one particular one as well as the black traveler wire? Thanks.

[@craigmichaud-electricalins4602]

Nope as long as they are on the same color terminals and not the colored one you are good. Not everyone wires them the same so its based on what you use as travelers. Hope that makes sense. CM

[@ramirorosiles7448]

@@craigmichaud-electricalins4602 Thank you very much. Your feedback is truly appreciated. Especially now that I'm preparing myself to take the NEC exam. I'm very nervous and quite frankly have my doubts on this exam but hopefully everything goes well.

[@MohsinKhan-yk9xy]

Craig, if you are teaching beginners, video should show the connections between the two switches and what kind of wires (2 or 3 wires cables) and then how the light connects. Details....

[@rosieblair9955]

Didn’t see how he wired the light bulb?

[@olddave4833]

can any " experts" tell me what the thumbs down are for? great job

[@craigmichaud-electricalins4602]

Thank you sir!! I appreciate this!! CM!!