How to Repair a Three-Way Light Switch | Ask This Old House
Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor helps a homeowner fix a faulty three-way switch. (See steps below.)
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Reproduction push-button switches are available through Rejuvenation [https://www.rejuvenation.com/].
Expert assistance with this project was provided by Switch Electric [https://www.myswitchelectric.com/].
The electrician used a continuity tester (model no. CT20) to identify the wires. It is manufactured by Extech [http://www.extech.com/].
Steps for How to Repair a Three-Way Light Switch:
1. Turn off the electricity to the three-way light circuit at the main electrical panel.
2. Remove the cover plates from both three-way switches, then unscrew the switches from the electrical boxes.
3. Use a battery-powered continuity tester to determine which two wires in each box are the traveler wires.
4. Reinstall both three-way switches, making sure to connect the identified traveler wires to the appropriate traveler terminals on each switch.
5. Next, attach the common wire and ground wire to each switch.
6. Screw each switch back into the electrical boxes and reinstall the cover plates.
7. Turn the electricity back on and test the switches to ensure that each one can turn on and turn off the light.
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How to Repair a Three-Way Light Switch | Ask This Old House
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Great tutorial video! … i was wondering if there is alternative way of
testing for traveler's wires without spending $200 on a continuity
tester?
damn, electrical components are so different from our norm here in Sweden. Totally weird with grounding the switches. and those square/rectangular boxes for outlets and switches
Freaking helpful, THANKS!….I have a house where there are 3 way light switches however once the load (light fixture) is turned off on one end, I am no longer able to power on the load from the other end. This video clears up what my issue could be and the right tool to use to help identify the correct wire instead of turning on the breaker and testing it the old fashioned way.
Update : I fixed my with my 3 way switching issue because of this video. I had the same exact problem. The black wire was on the the traveler terminal and the traveler wire was on common/black terminal. Its a 3 gang box which has one 4 way switch and the two 3 way switches.
Thanks TOH. I feel more confident with working with electricity now.
Great tutorial video! I followed your instruction, testing each wire and 3-way switches. They're all good, but the light is still not working. Appreciate all your help.
In most cases , I use the white & red wires for the travelers and mark the white in the box w/ black tape – now were ever I can … I'll run a dead end three way & pull the feed & switch leg in main box and mark both to I.D. . This help out later if ever more switch boxes { 4 ways } are added.
Sorry, I was distracted by the short, busty red head
How can light switches be boring? They aren’t supposed to offer any entertainment.
she done made a kill switch.
This was done, and shown, a few seasons earlier than this one so talk about Deja Vu.
You can do a continuity test if you don’t know which box has the line wire this is total bullshit.
You can’t
Rewind back to 1:20, the homeowner flipped the switch which works and Kevin flipped the switch that turns off the light. Even if they didn't fix the circuit, they can still repeat the test at 6:40. Kevin needs to keep the light turned off and ask the electrician to flip the switch again. Just saying…
Looks like she now many stuff abut electricity for an average person .
I installed a switch yesterday and it did not have a ground
In my country that is a 2 way circuit not a 3 way. I would love to know what kind of switch you use when you have 3 switches controlling one light. We have a special switch called an intermediate. With it you can have an infinite number of switches controlling a single light.
NEVER do electrical work if you do not know what to do.
She was lucky this was the only outcome.
She could be sitting in a burned down house if she made a different mistake.
First of all, you work without gloves. lack of professional education. second, with wire connections, you make people die. you can not connect the earth in water pipes
Open your damned mouth when you talk.
I like her sandals.
Oh three way switch i thought it was threesome
Great diagram.
There kinda neat
three way switches funny how they sent two guys for this one job
Millennial, "mehhh, these light switches are boring." lol
Jesus it's a 2 minute fix. Just look at the cables coming in and make sure common goes to common and travelers swap sides at the switches…
That was a terrible explanation. Should have went straight to the animation and had someone else explain.
Please help where can I get this type of continuity meter tester?
Why u people in america have ground on switches??
U dont see ground wire on switches in Serbia..
“They’re just kind of boring”. Um, Lady light aren’t supposed to be entertaining to your person.
They woulda luved the 3way wiring at this one place I knew of. 1 hot and 1 neutral at each box, then opposite leads from the light fixture ran to each box, lol.
How can I ground an outlet in an old home that has no ground wire. Trying not to spend so much money running wires or cutting into drywall. ?
That may be the best explanation of how a 3 way switch works period! Now do a 4 way! Please!
Okay, smart electrical people, answer this puzzle: what was wrong with the homeowner's hookup? Which wire, on which switch, was in the wrong place? You should be able to figure it out without seeing the wiring, just based on how the light behaves at 1:20.
What’s wrong with my switches!?!?? LoL.
She was hot lol
The wires from the power breaker, one wire to the common screw and one wire to the light, from the light to the other common screw switch. Which color wires are those coming in from the power?
How to repair a 3-way switch: (1) remove; (2) replace.
And then they had a threesome
Just because you had continuity from the selected wires doesn’t mean you’re going to have figure out your travelers. This really is something where you need to understand how the entire switch and light are wired. Then you can narrow down your travelers vs hot/switch leg(common)
What about a three way switch with a timer? Does that make a difference?
I guess I'm an idiot… I still didn't see it.
how can a switch that has two positions be three way
Imagine living with this money spender….
“How was your weekend, Tom?”
“My wife finds light switches boring now…and wants money so she’s not so bored with light switches.”
Would they actually be replacing a 3 way switch ?
Do you have a video showing how to test the switches without the light bulb accessory? I do not have one, so I had to search for another method. I found instructions (https://www.hunker.com/13414477/how-to-troubleshoot-an-improperly-wired-3-way-switch) which were very helpful!
Next time do a 4 way switch 😉
10 seconds of her mouth and I'm ready to run.
She wants a three way
Not the only 3 way that went on that day I assume
Fruity cakes
Is it common practice to use different color wires for the travelers? Why make it confusing by using a black wire? I worked on a three-way switch today that used two yellow wires for the travelers. Makes a lot more sense, doesn't it?
Shortly after installing the 3-way switch, they HAD a 3-way.
This………. is……….. not……….. overly……….. scripted
3 way switches…my nemesis. But that test to identify the travelers literally cleared it all up
To bad it wasn't a carter 3 way half the house wld have been out if not herself too
It can get even more complicated depending on how it was wired- for example you could have 3 wires in one switch box and 7 in the other if the electrician decided to bring the panel wires and the lighting wires both to the same box – same principle tho
The weirdest part was the hedge clippers randomly sitting on the living room cabinet at 6:35..
You just have to remember which wire was on the black screw when changing 3 way switches.
why is the carpet crooked? and where is the baldd guy?
How to wire this type of switch when all the wires ALL THE SAME COLOR?
The first thing I do when I go into a house is look for the most fascinating light switches. It's just a "thing" with me…
4:38 a double pole breaker?
Great animation, but again, they make the homeowner look like a total goober. TOH is famous for that.
6:54 add a brazzers logo ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I opened up an old house and current is on the red wire on the power side. Black and white travelers. I was very confused never seeing a hot red in a home
@1:45 — Didn't know light switches had organs but forget that I've never seen a hand with that much hair on it… o.O
…..how much was the service call?
lighting circuit using a 2-pole breaker?? 4:39
Very impressed with her resourcefulness.
Drinking Game! Everytime this dumb twit woman says "Cool" DRINK! LMAO!
I always wondered how these work.
That is the most crooked rug I’ve ever seen in my life. My OCD went ↗️↗️↗️
How about tagging them for future!
Not sure what city this is in. But, in some cities, the new code is that all electrical wires need to be screwed/hooked in, like they did the ground wire.
#thisoldhouseCan you use that tester to find a short in outlets
Dang I saw 3 way and 2 men and a women and clicked. . So dissaponted
Got to get the travelers and common right. If not then opps.
Dude couldn’t take his dip out for the segment?
"So easy, Kevin can do it".
Sorry but that’s not how it’s done. What is you didn’t know which wire was the hot and you just find continuity with random two wires that doesn’t mean your hooked up right. You have to find the line wire and the load wire that’s the only way you can find the travelers
I have 3 different light switches in my living room on 3 different walls they all work don't know if it is safe and my bathroom light switch lags when you turn it on how do I fix that
Where can I buy the continuity tester that is shown in this awesome video?
Long sleeves to hide the gang tats
Continuity testing is great but much easier to first note which black was connected to hot before disconnecting. If you loose track, just check which black wire shares a jacket with the red traveler. Unless it was wired in some crazy way, that's going to be your 2nd traveler. If it still isn't working after that it's time to pull out the continuity tester.
Moral of the story. Call an electrician like they did?
Let the true electrocution speak we know you are not certified give a man a chance you have experience with all builds. So there.