Four Way Switching Explained - How to wire 4 way intermediate light switch
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Date: 2023-11-17
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Comments and reviews: 24
Mr
First, Conversion - Method 1 and Method 2 and Conversion - Method 3 are simply mirror images of each other. So, there is virtually no difference between the them, especially because the diagrams are stylized (i. e. the various boxes don't occupy physical space and can, theoretically, be 1 mm or 1km from each other) - as a result, there is no practical difference between the 'conversion methods'. So, in reality, there is only one 'conversion method'. Second, and more importantly, the 'conversion methods' never have to be used in a practical situation. Instead of using a 'conversion method', simply connect the brown wire with the power coming in (what we call the line in the U. S) to the common terminal on the first switch. Then connect the black wire with the brown tape on it to the blue wire with the brown tape on it to complete the circuit. There's absolutely no reason to connect two wires to the L2 terminal or use the L1 terminal as a common terminal. In other words, in order for the author's 'conversion method' to work, that black wire has to go all the way back to the first box from the common terminal in the third box, and the blue wire with the brown tape has to originate in the first box. So, just connect those two wires (the black and the blue) in the first box and attach the line wire to the common terminal on the first switch, and you can use the switches as intended (in other words, there's no such thing as a 'conversion method'.
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First, Conversion - Method 1 and Method 2 and Conversion - Method 3 are simply mirror images of each other. So, there is virtually no difference between the them, especially because the diagrams are stylized (i. e. the various boxes don't occupy physical space and can, theoretically, be 1 mm or 1km from each other) - as a result, there is no practical difference between the 'conversion methods'. So, in reality, there is only one 'conversion method'. Second, and more importantly, the 'conversion methods' never have to be used in a practical situation. Instead of using a 'conversion method', simply connect the brown wire with the power coming in (what we call the line in the U. S) to the common terminal on the first switch. Then connect the black wire with the brown tape on it to the blue wire with the brown tape on it to complete the circuit. There's absolutely no reason to connect two wires to the L2 terminal or use the L1 terminal as a common terminal. In other words, in order for the author's 'conversion method' to work, that black wire has to go all the way back to the first box from the common terminal in the third box, and the blue wire with the brown tape has to originate in the first box. So, just connect those two wires (the black and the blue) in the first box and attach the line wire to the common terminal on the first switch, and you can use the switches as intended (in other words, there's no such thing as a 'conversion method'.
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Ged
I have wiring in my new build home similar to Method 1 at 4: 43 but the power (live/neutral) and the load wire seem to be in the middle 4 way switch, I have 2 wires coming in both L1 and L2 and 1 cable in the others, as well as within the box neutrals connected and com connected. Struggling to understand why it seem to be done in even more complex way than it needs to be. I just want to identify the load wire route to light so I can put a smart switch instead of the 4 way switch, then use the existing wiring to convert the other switches to just live/neutral receivers for smart switches as well, which would control the first one. Any suggestions? Also what software is this diagram on? Would be great to try replicating what I have and seeing what would work.
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I have wiring in my new build home similar to Method 1 at 4: 43 but the power (live/neutral) and the load wire seem to be in the middle 4 way switch, I have 2 wires coming in both L1 and L2 and 1 cable in the others, as well as within the box neutrals connected and com connected. Struggling to understand why it seem to be done in even more complex way than it needs to be. I just want to identify the load wire route to light so I can put a smart switch instead of the 4 way switch, then use the existing wiring to convert the other switches to just live/neutral receivers for smart switches as well, which would control the first one. Any suggestions? Also what software is this diagram on? Would be great to try replicating what I have and seeing what would work.
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styxtdo
The EU colours are wrong for fixed installations (wires, not cables)
you use:
blue as neutral
brown as unswitched phase
black, blue, grey as switced phase
This is. simplified.
Never use blue as a switched phase.
The coloring for fixed installations:
Unswitched phase is black. Always. On multiple phases, brown and grey are L2, L3.
Blue is neutral.
For the switched phase it is literally another colour, e. g. violet, white, brown, red, orange, pink, grey.
For your light switch scenarios, mostly orange is used.
Your colouring is not permitted, and using blue as a wire with power on it is dangerous and forbidden.
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The EU colours are wrong for fixed installations (wires, not cables)
you use:
blue as neutral
brown as unswitched phase
black, blue, grey as switced phase
This is. simplified.
Never use blue as a switched phase.
The coloring for fixed installations:
Unswitched phase is black. Always. On multiple phases, brown and grey are L2, L3.
Blue is neutral.
For the switched phase it is literally another colour, e. g. violet, white, brown, red, orange, pink, grey.
For your light switch scenarios, mostly orange is used.
Your colouring is not permitted, and using blue as a wire with power on it is dangerous and forbidden.
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Chuck
The head of our bed is placed perpendicular to the wall on which the overhead light switch is mounted by the door. My wife has to walk clear around the bed in the dark at night after turning off the light or in the morning to turn the light on.
This 3 switch circuit will allow me to replace and rewire the original light switch with a 4 way and add 2 more 3 way switches on either side of the headboard. In this manner either of us will be able to turn on or off the light when entering or exiting or from either side of the bed.
Thanks for your very clear and concise video. I know that I'll get a lot of husband points for my efforts.
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The head of our bed is placed perpendicular to the wall on which the overhead light switch is mounted by the door. My wife has to walk clear around the bed in the dark at night after turning off the light or in the morning to turn the light on.
This 3 switch circuit will allow me to replace and rewire the original light switch with a 4 way and add 2 more 3 way switches on either side of the headboard. In this manner either of us will be able to turn on or off the light when entering or exiting or from either side of the bed.
Thanks for your very clear and concise video. I know that I'll get a lot of husband points for my efforts.
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GTAHomeGuy
I like the content, helpful. Question though - Can the device only operate from one end of the chain of switches?
What I am dealing with are 3 exterior lights all separately switched. I want them all on the same switches. So at the end each of the 3 switches turn all 3 lights on or off.
It would be a lot of wire running to make this happen if all switches needed to be in series first and then the devices down line in series from the last switch.
Any insight you could provide would be helpful!
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I like the content, helpful. Question though - Can the device only operate from one end of the chain of switches?
What I am dealing with are 3 exterior lights all separately switched. I want them all on the same switches. So at the end each of the 3 switches turn all 3 lights on or off.
It would be a lot of wire running to make this happen if all switches needed to be in series first and then the devices down line in series from the last switch.
Any insight you could provide would be helpful!
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Vikramjeet
In method 2, instead of running common wire between the 2 end switches and then run a blue/brown wire to the light, is it OK to just use the lights black wire as the common and avoid the other 2 wires? I ask this because there are no 3-wire cables in the existing setup i have and the source line and the light wire are in the same box. I can run a second cable from the far end of the recessed lights serving it as the common between the far ends of the 3-way but is this OK to do?
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In method 2, instead of running common wire between the 2 end switches and then run a blue/brown wire to the light, is it OK to just use the lights black wire as the common and avoid the other 2 wires? I ask this because there are no 3-wire cables in the existing setup i have and the source line and the light wire are in the same box. I can run a second cable from the far end of the recessed lights serving it as the common between the far ends of the 3-way but is this OK to do?
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Gnefitisis
How important is it to consider the colors of the wiring? It seems to me somewhat arbitrary to which wire becomes which color, as long as the outputs of each switch have 3 unique color wires, which can but do not have to be the same orientation between a second/third switch.
I also don't understand why the color wire to the load is neutral. Shouldn't it be the color brown (L1) coming towards the load, since it will then be neutral only after the load?
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How important is it to consider the colors of the wiring? It seems to me somewhat arbitrary to which wire becomes which color, as long as the outputs of each switch have 3 unique color wires, which can but do not have to be the same orientation between a second/third switch.
I also don't understand why the color wire to the load is neutral. Shouldn't it be the color brown (L1) coming towards the load, since it will then be neutral only after the load?
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Joshua
I was just trying to figure out why the lights in this room werent working yesterday using a three way switch with one of them being a four way and being that Im still learning it was Kindve getting me but me and the dude training me figured out the 4 way switch was faulty and so we replaced it but this video really truly helped me get the simplistic design if you understand electrical work at all. Thanks for the tips!
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I was just trying to figure out why the lights in this room werent working yesterday using a three way switch with one of them being a four way and being that Im still learning it was Kindve getting me but me and the dude training me figured out the 4 way switch was faulty and so we replaced it but this video really truly helped me get the simplistic design if you understand electrical work at all. Thanks for the tips!
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Trevor
Whilst easy on paper, rather hard to get my head around this in my property. However I have just realised that as long as you don't connect the neutral cable into the switches the worst that can happen is dodgy logic and there is zero risk of popping the fuse/breaker, this realisation has put my mind at ease!
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Whilst easy on paper, rather hard to get my head around this in my property. However I have just realised that as long as you don't connect the neutral cable into the switches the worst that can happen is dodgy logic and there is zero risk of popping the fuse/breaker, this realisation has put my mind at ease!
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YotaXP
Is there any reason Four Way switches could not be used in place of Three Way? Just from looking at the diagram, it looks like you could treat L3 as Common, and leave L4 disconnected to have the same behavior. Why use Three Way switches at all?
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Is there any reason Four Way switches could not be used in place of Three Way? Just from looking at the diagram, it looks like you could treat L3 as Common, and leave L4 disconnected to have the same behavior. Why use Three Way switches at all?
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Flex.
A lot of the 2 way explanations only use single gang switches. Can I see an explanation using a 4 gang switch where 2 of the switches are a two way switch with 2 other separate switches. Make one a 2 gang and the other a 4
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A lot of the 2 way explanations only use single gang switches. Can I see an explanation using a 4 gang switch where 2 of the switches are a two way switch with 2 other separate switches. Make one a 2 gang and the other a 4
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Sam
Are there situations where the different methods have advantages over each other? I can't think of a reason to not wire it the first way which is by far the simplest and easy for anyone fault diagnosing to follow.
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Are there situations where the different methods have advantages over each other? I can't think of a reason to not wire it the first way which is by far the simplest and easy for anyone fault diagnosing to follow.
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Katy
Unless standards in Europe have changed since the 2010s, Red is the main colour used for Live, with Brown, Black, Purple, Grey, Orange used as secondary Live colours (going from switches to receptors.
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Unless standards in Europe have changed since the 2010s, Red is the main colour used for Live, with Brown, Black, Purple, Grey, Orange used as secondary Live colours (going from switches to receptors.
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education
I kinda confused when i came acrose these 4 way switch type at the British high com residence(Solomon islands NZ standard. Now i fully understand on how these thing works. Thanks for this piece
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I kinda confused when i came acrose these 4 way switch type at the British high com residence(Solomon islands NZ standard. Now i fully understand on how these thing works. Thanks for this piece
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Alex
Can you please make a separate video for North American electrical switches? This video is useful but hard to understand with different wiring colors and conventions that North American wiring uses.
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Can you please make a separate video for North American electrical switches? This video is useful but hard to understand with different wiring colors and conventions that North American wiring uses.
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audigex
At 3: 00, is there any reason you use L1 instead of L2? Using L2 would seem more logical since you can then use even numbers for live and odd numbers for the switched neutral
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At 3: 00, is there any reason you use L1 instead of L2? Using L2 would seem more logical since you can then use even numbers for live and odd numbers for the switched neutral
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Abdulhafiz
Tnx man, but i hv a question!
Why did u assume L2 and com as internally connected unlike for the 2 way switch when u assumed L1 and com were internally connected?
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Tnx man, but i hv a question!
Why did u assume L2 and com as internally connected unlike for the 2 way switch when u assumed L1 and com were internally connected?
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Ryan
Noticed u are placing a brown sleeve on the grey, blue and black wires. Why not use the brown wire instead since u already know which terminal it is connected to
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Noticed u are placing a brown sleeve on the grey, blue and black wires. Why not use the brown wire instead since u already know which terminal it is connected to
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Nicholas
Am not Electrician but I love working on my own house wiring, may working on a faulty wiring. This is of great help since it is explained simple
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Am not Electrician but I love working on my own house wiring, may working on a faulty wiring. This is of great help since it is explained simple
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shaddorry
I'd like to know how to add a smart switch like let's say a Shelly to a 4-way circuit. I don't seem to be finding a diagram for that.
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I'd like to know how to add a smart switch like let's say a Shelly to a 4-way circuit. I don't seem to be finding a diagram for that.
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abugu
I so much appreciate all your teachings. I haven't seen any one that teaches electricity in an explicit manner like. thumbs up
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I so much appreciate all your teachings. I haven't seen any one that teaches electricity in an explicit manner like. thumbs up
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Awesome
Nowadays it seems easier to have switches connecting directly to WiFi and control the lights on with smart home system.
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Nowadays it seems easier to have switches connecting directly to WiFi and control the lights on with smart home system.
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TheJulieNclaire
but I thought that in the UK the live normally feds the bulb/light and then the switch turns is off and on.
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but I thought that in the UK the live normally feds the bulb/light and then the switch turns is off and on.
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Dislob3
I always felt dumb that wiring was not intuitive to me. I now understand why. It's not intuitive at all.
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I always felt dumb that wiring was not intuitive to me. I now understand why. It's not intuitive at all.
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