The Best 3 Way Switch Explanation Ever!

What a mess

Best explanation yet. Really dumbed it down for me. Thanks.

Does it matter on your travelers on what side they go on on a 3way switch? Hiw about a 4way?

“Current” topics of electricity
Nice🎉

Terry. Thanks so much #1 for getting my 2 outdoor floodlight fixtures on after a contractor took them down doing new siding and left bare wires sticking out. Quick version is was I replaced a switch unnecessarily but wired it incorrect. After watching your video after 5 year of chemo because of incurable multiple myeloma cancer I never had the switches 1 in kitchen 1 in garage in open loop position. Up and down the ladders many times. Up and down stairs many times to turn off power at breaker, I have done lots of electrical in 63 years but was at wits end and I never call anyone fix everything. So once switches were in correct position Voila light wires energized again later today I am reattaching fixtures. Your whole presentation skills and value make it possible for just about anyone to,install or rectify their dilemma. Keep up good work Sir. David

concepts are simple but often you find where the power wire is fed back from the switchbox on the right (in the video) to the switchbox on the left and from the switchbox on left, the hot and neutral go up to the light.

Great job with the 3xplination. Will use this next week

Holy shit, that was a great video. I've struggled with 3 way switches more times than I'll admit. I finally understand how it works and how to wire it up.

4 years later...no reply ...but much clarity! I think I can do this job now! Thank you!

Thank you for teaching. Under what conditions might someone need a two way switch like this?

@theinternetelectrician

Great video and very clear instruction. Question, can I run to any light of a series of lights with this process? I’m a new subscriber.

You have done something no one else has ever done before. You've made me understand how this all work! Simply amazing. Thank you. 😊

TIP You dont have to spend the first 10 minutes of a video explaining what your gonna be EXPLAINING in the same video. Just get to the information. GOOD explanation though. I can now say I understand 3 way switches

Why the f is it called a 3-way switch if it's only two ways

Some switches are diffrent must read the build of it I’m used of travelers being both top and common bottom but some are travelers on same side common on single one

Watching your video got me through installing a 3 way switch for the light in my bedroom addition plus how to wire the ceiling fan & light months later as the 3 way is only for the light, not the fan.

Appreciate this video, how you explain things and did not go too fast also.
Watched it multiple times.

For you website I was writing in the word "dash' but discovered you mean a "hyphen as in "-"). 🤣
I learned from Grammarly, "A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that’s used to join words or parts of words. It’s not interchangeable with other types of dashes.
A dash is longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. The most common types of dashes are the en dash (–) and the em dash (—)."

I found the animation at the 5 minute mark useful to verify the function of an identical circuit.

For there to be a 3way switch then there HAS to be three wires in each box then? Reason I ask is that my kitchen 3way switch has 3 wires in one box and only 2 in the other. The red traveler is missing for some reason. Has never been there and has never worked in 30 plus years. I just capped off the 2 wire box and put a plate over it. The other side is just a single switch now. All replies welcomed..thks..jc

Can I use a single 3 way switch to control a bathroom exhaust fan with a light and a nightlight

This was PERFECTLY EXPLAINED! 10/10 best video ever !

I have a 3-way switch with two dimmable Levitron Decor switches. The lights do not seem to dim correctly or at all. Is this correct to have two dimmable switches or should I replace one switch with a non-dimmable switch?

Sooooo 🤔🤔🤔
What's not explained here (at least so far)
Is there is actually two ways a 3 way switch can be installed.
This explanation is when the two switches come first, then to the light....I had the experience of realizing on my own that there is also the other way: switch #1 goes to the light, and then down to switch #2 ....so another words: the light fixture is in the middle and the switches are on either side ....that was fun to fix....because whoever installed the 3 way, installed it the way this nice gentleman is describing. Maybe this man can explain the other way to install 3 way switches so that people are not wondering why their lights don't work on one switch but work on the other 👍👍👍

Super helpful. Thanks!

Man you are a genius I spend 4 hours before I watch your video and it took me 2 minutes thank you

Great video

very good explanation

I have an old house where the wires from the breaker box go into the light socket, not the switch box. I need a video on how to wire that.

My finite brain will never grasp 3 way wiring.

At the beginning of the animation I see no white wire hooked up. ?

We have a light fixtures at work on through a switches and up in the ceiling with a light fixture as they're using a red wire and a common wire and the 2 black wires tied together what's up with all that confusing us

WHAT A TRULY MAGNIFICANT VIDEO! Im going to show my grandchildren this 🥰☺😆

Oopsie! i meant to say grandchildren not grandparents 😂🤣😅 My grandparents have been dead for years!

100+ and counting??

Both of my traveler wires turn on when the light is on. It is messing me up

Some situations vary somewhat from this example. In my case, the power line must be up above the centrally placed light. Without taking more apart it is not yet clear. The arrangement used to work properly, but home renovation workers have altered some connections and now it doesn't work and they gave up trying. Of course, things are simple when you have an open wall like in the demonstration video, and can see all the traveler wires. But in the case I am working with, I am guessing what wires are hidden up in ceilings. Normally I have no problems with wiring, but in this case am taking notes about wire colors and which screw they attach to, and trying to straighten out the incorrect wiring. It can be somewhat confusing.

Thanks , never knew how these pain in the asses worked .

The title is pretentious

Thanks!

Thanks for this helpful video. It helped me identify what I was doing wrong and how to fix it!

I am an electrical dummy....was trying to replace decor switches with smart eve switches and couldn't figure it out. After watching this video a couple of times to be sure, all works great and had them installed within 10 minutes!!!! Best video on explanation of 3 way. Many many thanks Terry.

I've just began to do electrical work. On a 3 way switch can the 2 traveler wires on the 3 way flip sides or does it not matter. Like one side has a red parallel to the constant and the other side is the same with the switch leg or does the red then change to the other side and the 2 blacks are on the same side if this makes sense

Thank you so much for the insightful video

Thank you! This was driving me nuts!

how do i connect a sensor switch to a 3 way switch

How would you do this with adding a receptacle that turns on when turning in the 3 way light switch and also another receptacle that is on at all times

Thanks Terry, changing toggles to paddles with the terminals in different positions had me stumped. I will save this video for future reference.

Great job!
Thank you for this

Great video and loved the animation. Very helpful.

Hey Terry, loved this video. I switched one of my but Ed out switches so I installed a 3-way switch. However, when I turn on the light switch downstairs and turn it off upstairs, I can’t turn it on down stairs. Is this because I need a 4-way switch? Also, what’s the red and white cable on my switch technically for? Thanks in advance!!!

3 way switch and only 3.7 million views? whats the prob Mr. Peterman? lol awesome show! wonderful examples of how we love to see completed rough-ins. You're truly great at this...