4-Way Light Switches

[charlie b]

Please tell me that (if?) I have this right. You want to control all the lights in a small room with a total of three manual switches (i.e., near the three exit doors). Here is the control scheme:

• Regardless of the existing position of the three switches, if the lights are off, then changing the position of any switch will turn them on.
• Also, regardless of the existing position of the three switches, if the lights are on, then changing the position of any switch will turn them off.

I believe that to accomplish this, you need a pair of 3-way switches and a single 4-way switch. I am being told that all three switches have to be 4-ways. Am I right?

 

[USMC1302]

I think you are correct. a pair of 3-ways and one 4-way is what you need.

 

[glene77is]

Right, unless you like to leave some screws loose.
(bad joke, apologies) :lol:

I bet Charlie B. knows how to do a little diagram for this.

 

[Sierrasparky]

Yes
3 way in at the source and load and 4 way in the middle.
what was the confusion Charlie you being a longtime veteran of the trade?

 

[glene77is]

Yes
3 way in at the source and load and 4 way in the middle.
what was the confusion Charlie you being a longtime veteran of the trade?

Maybe, like me;
there's not enough work to keep me busy,
so I'm just looking to pull some 'chains' !

 

[George Stolz]

I am being told that all three switches have to be 4-ways.

What is the background of this person? That's way off base.

 

[charlie b]

This was a comment I received on a design package that I had prepared. The person providing the comment was a representative from the owner. I have not met this person yet, and do not know his background. But I understand there will be a comment review meeting next week. I just wanted a little moral support, for the moment I tell this person I don?t plan to incorporate that comment into the design package. :happyno: Many thanks for providing that support.

By the way, given a few minute?s time, which I don?t have at the moment, I think I could draw a schematic of the three switches. Perhaps I should do that before the meeting next week. :happyyes:

 

[George Stolz]

By the way, given a few minute?s time, which I don?t have at the moment, I think I could draw a schematic of the three switches. Perhaps I should do that before the meeting next week. :happyyes:

Google it, there's a million on the web.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Charlie, as a non electrician, you know more than 90% of the workers out there. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[SEO]

I believe that to accomplish this, you need a pair of 3-way switches and a single 4-way switch. I am being told that all three switches have to be 4-ways. Am I right?

You are correct. You can put an infinate number of 4-ways between the two 3-ways I've heard somewhere that there was a maximum number 999 or something like that but who cares.

The most that I have ever installed is switching at six locations two 3-ways and four 4-ways.

 

[sii]

I just sent this to someone the other day.....

View attachment 4-way diagram.bmp

 

[qcroanoke]

I believe that to accomplish this, you need a pair of 3-way switches and a single 4-way switch. I am being told that all three switches have to be 4-ways. Am I right?

You are correct. You can put an infinate number of 4-ways between the two 3-ways I've heard somewhere that there was a maximum number 999 or something like that but who cares.

The most that I have ever installed is switching at six locations two 3-ways and four 4-ways.

Absolutely! As long as there is a 3 way on each end you only need to make sure everything in between is a 4 way.
Once I learned a 3 way, 4 ways were easy!

 

[readydave8]

I feel like I've seen house plans where all 3 were marked with a "4", I never thought that they meant for me to use 4/ways in all three locations, just that they were alerting me to the fact that the light was controlled from 3 or more) locations?

 

[hillbilly1]

I feel like I've seen house plans where all 3 were marked with a "4", I never thought that they meant for me to use 4/ways in all three locations, just that they were alerting me to the fact that the light was controlled from 3 or more) locations?

They actually gave you blueprints?:lol: I've had to design every one that I've ever wired! I had one owner that wanted to be able to control the floodlights from every room in the house, ended up with two three ways and six fourways! The kicker was when he bought the floodlights, he got the ones with motion sensors!:roll:

 

[rattus]

Please tell me that (if?) I have this right. You want to control all the lights in a small room with a total of three manual switches (i.e., near the three exit doors). Here is the control scheme:

• Regardless of the existing position of the three switches, if the lights are off, then changing the position of any switch will turn them on.
• Also, regardless of the existing position of the three switches, if the lights are on, then changing the position of any switch will turn them off.

I believe that to accomplish this, you need a pair of 3-way switches and a single 4-way switch. I am being told that all three switches have to be 4-ways. Am I right?

Yer right! The first and list switches are 3-ways with any number of 4-ways in between.

 

[kwired]

3 ways are not needed

3 ways are not needed

I just sent this to someone the other day.....

View attachment 5638

You don't have to use three way switches but they usually cost less than 4 ways and is a good idea to use one on each end of the switching circuit.

If you replace the three ways in the diagram with 4 ways and just don't use the terminal that is missing from the three way switch it will still work the same.


Charlie this one is too easy for you that is why you are second guessing yourself. Maybe you should make a second path back to the source, then it will be easier for you to understand:lol:.

 

[John120/240]

The kicker was when he bought the floodlights, he got the ones with motion sensors!:roll:

Don't you just love homeowners. Then they make it out like it is your fault

that they bought motion lights or lights w/photocell.

 

[jmellc]

Absolutely! As long as there is a 3 way on each end you only need to make sure everything in between is a 4 way.
Once I learned a 3 way, 4 ways were easy!

I have seen a few 4 ways that were not clearly marked & had to do a little trial & error. That's 1 of the most common punch list items I used to see. Switches worked OK most of the time, until a particular 4 way was in wrong position. I used to take the 4 way out a moment & verify correct connections on the 3 ways. Then put the 4 way back in & check all positions, change terminations as needed.

 

[kwired]

I have seen a few 4 ways that were not clearly marked & had to do a little trial & error. That's 1 of the most common punch list items I used to see. Switches worked OK most of the time, until a particular 4 way was in wrong position. I used to take the 4 way out a moment & verify correct connections on the 3 ways. Then put the 4 way back in & check all positions, change terminations as needed.

I can't recall ever seeing a 4 way that did not require 'input' on top and 'output' on bottom or vice versa, whether it is marked or not. Whenever I have miswired one it was just carelessness and not because the switch was not what I expected.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I don't see why 4 ways need any marking. You put one set of travelers on one end of the switch and the other set on the other end of the switch. In one switch position the path is straight through from one end to the other end and in the other switch position the path is in a "X" from end to end.