ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Four Way Switch?

Having just looked at Scott's diagrams, the mind boggles as to all of the ways that a lighting circuit can be hooked up, to achieve control where it is required.
And I can think of a few more too.

Harold,

I've never heard the term "3-point switch" used here, but it may have been in the very early days. All the 1930s text books I have refer to "2-way" switches and nothing else.

In general electronics work we have various styles of multi-way switches (slide, rotary, toggle, etc.) and we follow the same general nomenclature, i.e. a 3-way rotary switch is one which has 3 positions.

Well, I sure hope these switchloop drawings have been helpful and informative for everyone!
As always, feel free to contact me with suggestions, comments and such. Still working on compiling many Schematics that Members have requested (due to lack of data and circuitry resources).

My "To-Do" shelf is now at 50 rows, 5 columns!

A little trivial stuff regarding 3-way and 4-way switches:

A 3-way switch is simply a Single Pole - Double Throw toggle switch;

A 4-way switch is simply a Double Pole - Double Throw toggle switch, wired on "one side" so the travelers will end up to be "crossed-over";

Seen many different switchloop wiring methods done by others. Residential projects have the most variety in complete switchloop connections / wiring designs;

An older thread covered "California 3-way switchloops", and these designs sure do fall into "Different" connection methods!!!

Wiring design on these switchloops is not difficult to achieve - even as "complex" as they may seem. Just place your 3-ways at the ends of the loop's switch control points, then place as many 4-ways between the end points (1 to 1 million individual 4-way switches between the 3-ways).NEC prohibits >1 million 4-way switches (...joke...).

Bring power in at "the first 3-way", and run through loop to the "last 3-way". From there, run to Luminare(s) which will be controlled.
AC Power can include the Grounded Neutral Conductor running with the switchloop, or simply the Line Ungrounded Conductor run in then out of the loop.

To reduce the created Mag Fields, best to run currents "In Opposite Directions". This would either be by including the Noodle with the switchloop, or by running the switchleg back to the Luminare(s) via same cable / conduit as travelers.

If simple "Pick-Up at end points" methods are used (Line "Hot" only comes to first switch, then switchleg only is run to Luminare from last switch - with Noodle left at light outlet), there is no current flowing in an opposite direction within the switchloop's wiring, so the field's strength is not reduced.

This is in regards to "EMF Related Hazards", and is a very touchy and controversial subject.

Scott s.e.t.

p.s. pay no attention to the following text! Just testing out what extended / alt characters will show up.

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i would do it like this. if this works. http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/~clwheat/craig.gif

[This message has been edited by old Appy (edited 01-10-2003).]

It won't work. Tie your first feed wire straight through to the 'common' on the last switch. Put the wire to the light on the common of the first switch.

The way I always explained '3-way' switching to apprentices was simple:

-Make sure there is a white neutral at the light.
-The common screw on one switch gets a hot wire, and the common on the other goes to the light.
-The 'travellers' go to each other.

[This message has been edited by Pinemarten (edited 08-23-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Pinemarten (edited 08-23-2003).]

I think that will wirk. Seem just like a California 3-way with a 4-way in between.
I agree a conventional 3-way or 4 way is easier.

Edited because I tried to find a bad switching combo and kept correcting. I know it's there somewhere though.
[This message has been edited by Pinemarten (edited 08-24-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Pinemarten (edited 08-24-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Pinemarten (edited 08-24-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Pinemarten (edited 08-24-2003).]

4way wiring in Austria: Run phase from junction box to 3way switch and travelers back up. Horizontal run of commons to junction box above 4way sw. 4 travelers down to 4way. 2 travelers continue to last switch and fixture wire goes up to the lamp. Neutral is usually run to the lamp from the nearest J-box available, through which the fixture wire passes.
Hope it's not too complicated, If I ever find my book again I'll mail a German schematic to Bill.

About the time we all understand SPDT and DPDT switches someone will come up with an electronic control what noone knows how it works.

Don't know if it's correct or not, but I always thought that the 3-way's were so named because of their different states when operated. Say for instance that the Common terminal on each 3-way is "A" and the travellers are "B" and "C" then the circuit would have three possible states.

A connected to B on both switches (lights on)
A connected to C on both switches (lights on)
A connected to B on one switch and A connected to C on the other (lights off)

Three states = three way?

If you follow this logic then it could apply to a 4-way switch as well but then that might mean that we would have to start calling regular snap switches a 2-way switch

[This message has been edited by jb (edited 08-24-2003).]