Three ways, the debate

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user 100 said:
That would be a 4 way


This down here, imo, is the best explanation for the meaning of the phrase 3 way......

V V V V V V V V
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The old timer (K&T tenure) pivoted his foot on his heel

He said the 'heel' is the common, and it's either ON-OFF-ON or it's OFF-On-OFF , depending on orientation

Ergo '3 way' literally meaning 3 functions to get back to where you started from....
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Which literally makes no sense, since there are two ways to get back to where you started, not three! Namely reverse the switch you just changed or change the other one. On-off-on is two operations.
'Tis still a puzzlement.
 
GoldDigger said:
Which literally makes no sense, since there are two ways to get back to where you started, not three! Namely reverse the switch you just changed or change the other one. On-off-on is two operations.
'Tis still a puzzlement.
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I get what you're saying. But it sort of make sense if you look at it like he was mentioning:


Turn 1st sw on-1
Turn 2nd sw off-2
Go back and turn first sw on-3

But when you throw in a four way..........

Turn 1st sw on-1
Turn 2nd sw off-2
Turn 3rd sw on-3

Still 3 movements by the rule laid out- so that kind of blows that away, I guess


But after giving this some more thought >>>>of course in that instance we don't call that 4 way switching (why call it that-as you still only controlling power from 3 locations)- the true technically correct term for any of these combos is multiway switching- which simply means controlling a fixture from more than one location (multi=more than one).

The only other explanation I've heard was that the switches are named so b/c of the number of screw terminals-, 4 way has 4, 3 way has 3 screws-
but how is a terminal a "way"?:D
 
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user 100 said:
I get what you're saying. But it sort of make sense if you look at it like he was mentioning:


Turn 1st sw on-1
Turn 2nd sw off-2
Go back and turn first sw on-3

The only other explanation I've heard was that the switches are named so b/c of the number of screw terminals-, 4 way has 4, 3 way has 3 screws-
but how is a terminal a "way"?:D
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In the same way that a highway is a way?
And regarding the sequence, the third flip does not take you back to where you started, it takes you to where the first flip got you.
The first and second flips together take you to where you started. So that would be a two-way???

iwire: I agree that it is not particularly earth shaking in its significance, but that is what the question in the OP led to. Nothing off topic here. :)
 
GoldDigger said:
iwire: I agree that it is not particularly earth shaking in its significance, but that is what the question in the OP led to. Nothing off topic here. :)
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Oh you guys are on topic ... Nuts but on topic. :D


Remember this thread generated from Charlie's Bs comment 'there's nothing to debate'. :lol:
 
iwire said:
Oh you guys are on topic ... Nuts but on topic. :D


Remember this thread generated from Charlie's Bs comment 'there's nothing to debate'. :lol:
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GoldDigger said:
Silly thing for him to say, wasn't it. :)
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I didn't see his comment until iwire mentioned it.......

And after reading it, had a DUH!!! moment:slaphead:

charlie b said:


No debate is needed here. The word "way" is not describing how may "ways" you can move the switch handle. It is describing how many "pathways" current can take through the device (i.e., one way in and two ways out, or if you prefer, two ways in and one way out).

This is similar to the question I have heard asked concerning why we call the thing you click when you sit in the car a "seat belt." After all, it contacts your shoulder and your lap, but not your seat. My response to that is that the word "seat" is referring to the car's seat, and the belt keeps you from leaving that seat in the event of a crash.
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He's right-It has nothing to do with switch flipping/no. of sw locations.

One way in, two ways out/ or 1+2=3 ways/paths thru the device itself.
 
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