These switches have two light colored terminals and one dark colored terminal plus a ground screw. There is no standard for wire colors on 3 way switch travelers.
How To Wire A 3 Way Light Switch Family Handyman
Wire colors for 3 way switch. If you find wires in either of these colors youve located the neutral wires. A three way switch has four different screw terminals on its body. White is most commonly used but gray wires serve the same function. Standard colors used for home wiring. You have also to make space for the three way switch because of many wires then single switch. In this diagram power enters the fixture box.
The light colored terminals are the traveler terminals and are interchangeable. Take a closer look at a 3 way switch wiring diagram. Pick the diagram that is most like the scenario you are in and see if you can wire your switch. With nm cable the wire colors for travelers will be black and red using 3 wire cable. Then blue wires are most often used as travelers for three or four way switches for instance if you have switches at the top and bottom of a staircase that control the same light thats a three way switch. Always assume the red wire in those applications is live.
All nm cables contain the basic black insulation and white insulation wires plus the bare copper or green insulated ground wire. This might seem intimidating but it does not have to be. While also showing above in the circuit having three insulated conductors as black as hot red as switch wire or called traveler and white as common wire as also shown when light is connected to both black and white wires. The green screw attached to the metal strap of the switch is always for the ground wire this is the bare copper or green insulated wire within the circuit. With these diagrams below it will take the guess work out of wiring. Blue yellow violet and brown wires often act as the travelers to transfer power between the switches in 3 way and 4 way switch.
In the 2nd diagram below blue wires are used for travelers. In a three wire cable there will also be an additional red insulated wire commonly used as the traveler in an application such as a two way switch. The colors will vary depending on whether nm cable or conduit was used. The black hot wire connects to the far right switchs common terminal. The dark colored terminal is the common terminal and brings power from the source to the light fixture. With conduit the wire colors for travelers could be any color.
White and gray electrical wires. Red and blue wires link traveler terminals of both switches. This 3 way light switch wiring diagram shows how to do the light switch wiring and the light when the power is coming to the light fixture. 3 way switch wiring diagram. Color coding on three way switches is very important.
Gallery of Wire Colors For 3 Way Switch
