One of these videos helped me with a switch loop. I took a light down but had a little difficulty getting the wiring right when I put up a new one. It was causing the breaker to trip before I figured out how to do it. Until then that breaker was turned off for a day or two. That light was not in a room that we use a lot so I turned off the breaker while I tried to figure out what I should have done. I just took a picture of the screen with my phone to keep a copy of the diagram. My wiring was a little bit easier since it was earlier than 2011 code and did not need 3 wire (4 if you count the ground as a wire) for that. If I was working with 3 wire it would have left me a little more confused for a little while. These things can be confusing if you don't have to do them every day. Although it is a good idea to hire an electrician a lot of people can do these things themselves if they knew how to. I really only call an electrician if it is a problem that I can not fix myself like a problem with the electrical panel (never had one yet). Some of them are expensive to hire as they can be close to $100 per hour maybe more.
Simply amazing! I am 72 years old and have "some" electrical knowledge, I have always done my own electrical wiring and troubleshooting. However, I have never understood 3-way and 4-way switches, but after watching both your physical wiring and schematic description videos, I finally understand them and I will no longer avoid the topic or task of installing and wiring these devices. Simply amazing!
Perfect explanation and demo. I am a 3rd year apprentice in Lafayette, IN. I have had 2 different journeyman attempt to explain this exact thing while we were up in an attic wiring them and neither time did I come away feeling confident in myself installing them by myself in the future, and even through 3 years of ABC electrical school I can honestly say that I learn more practical application knowledge from watching your videos than from 3 hours each week there. I have a confession to make; Last week I skipped class and watched your videos w my mini Doxie Ziggy Lee on my lap for like 2 hours. Ur single handedly responsible for giving me the “why” I need to understand mentally how these systems work that I am installing and servicing and the confidence I have been starving both for in my career. So all that was so you understand how much I feel indebted to you for ur generosity w ur wisdom of our field that you share w us in your library of videos. Thank you a million times thank you from me and all your sparky brothers you are helping that you don’t get to see benefit and grow directly because of you! Ur my guy n if I ever cross paths w you I got your drinks homie 🍻
I’m almost 45 ,worked on/ran/owned our family’s dairy farm ever since I could walk. Tired of it and going to trade school in September to take an electrical program. I’ve been helping an electrician friend of mine over the winter here and there running wire ,helping install air to air heat pumps and so on. Love the variety of work and constant learning this trade involves. These videos are incredibly helpful and easy to understand what your teaching. Thank you so much for taking the time to teach in a manner that connects with everyday people. Dwayne Phillips PEI Canada
I just love the way you simplify these concepts and make them not seem like rocket science. I've always had a hard time understanding this but you just gave me my "EUREKA!" moment. I appreciate all that you do!
I was confused by explanation of the connects across a 4-way switch...so much that I had to go to Home Depot and buy one to test. The functionality is that in one position there is contact between both of the diagonals....black to gold and black to gold. In the other position there is contact between both of the side terminals....again black to gold and black to gold. If you google 'pictures of 4 way switches' there is an excellent Java demo of a couple of 4-ways in action as other switches are flipped on and off.
thank you for this i was having trouble understanding how that worked. the four way crosses over from straight up down to crossing over. i got stuck thinking when you turned the middle 4 way the others wouldn't work.
I just want to thank you for your videos. I'm about to be a apprentice and your videos have helped me wrap my head around all of this wizardry 😂. Thank so much for taking your time and making these videos to spread your knowledge. I really appreciate it.
Hey Destin, I recently came across your channel and I really like your videos and think you do a great job of breaking things down. I know this video was posted a long time ago, but I have some critique on the way the 4 way switch works internally since I don't see any corrections in the description or pinned in the comments. The way I understand it, the switch operates by either connecting the terminals diagonally (as shown), or when switched, the terminals will be connected vertically based on how you've drawn it. Another way to put it is, if the switch is in one configuration, the top left terminal will connect to the bottom right, and the top right will connect to the bottom left. In the other configuration, the top left terminal will connect to the bottom left terminal, and the top right terminal will connect to the bottom right terminal. Other than that, keep up the great work!
Yeah it seems like a key detail of the 4-way switch was left out and this clarifies it. Thanks. I'm thinking of it as the 4-way switch in the middle _always_ connects one in to one out, and the other in to the other out. When it's switched, that's still true, but it's just changing which in is connected to which out to the other possible way of doing that.
Excellent explanation. Almost every video on RU-vid says the black screw is always HOT. After trying to swap a switch and not have luck came across your video. In the first 3 min I figured out what I was doing wrong. Keep up the excellent work.
Super helpful video. The journeyman I work with is terrible at explaining this sort of stuff. This made it clear and understandable. Appreciate you doing this.
Hey man, I'm getting heaps out of this video series. I'm learning all this stuff before I even start my pre-trade course next year. Thanks for all the good videos man! Jordan - New Zealand
Great job Dustin. I've been wiring for years, but I'd never be able to explain it as well, or as thorough, as you do. I found your videos to be so interesting that I actually watched them all night last night. If you and Electrician U had been around 35 years ago, I wouldn't have had to go to electrical school. Have a great evening.
When I was about 11 a friends house had a long hall with a three way at either end. I knew a bit about wiring and I was so puzzled about how this worked. Later I was in a hardware store and stumbled on three-way switches with wiring diagrams on the package. I will never forget that Aha! moment!!!! Thanks for the video!
I’m a new subscriber and currently working as an industrial electrical apprentice, man please don’t stop making RU-vid vids, I’m learning so much from your videos, might be switching to a residential worker, right now I currently work on control panel wiring, (breakers, transformers, contractors) but your videos on switches and wiring them are really helpful and make me learn a lot. Please don’t stop making videos and hopefully you can start making consistent ones too cuz I really love your channel! Subscriber from Canada 🇨🇦
@ 5:36 he draws the path between the two terminals as an X, state that "you always have a path between the two terminals," then he says the path changes but does not diagram the circuit changes when the 4-way is switched. In his diagram the top left terminal is connected to the bottom right terminal and the other traveler is connected to the top right and lower left terminals. He needs a Volt Ohm Meter to check his diagram because he should show the travelers will connect as shown or from top right to bottom right and top left and bottom left, respectively as the switch changes position. X or ||. Good idea, also, to speak of SOURCE and LOAD as the switch(es) are used to control power between a source and a load.
I like your presentations and this one is no exception. I was enthusiastic when your intro mentioned SCHEMATIC. Even tho it was not until 9:26 into the video that you began drawing schematic (vs. wiring) diagram. Using Single-pole and Double-pole switches, fully labeled with common, normally open, and normally closed I think would enhance the discussion. (Sorry, but I am in the Electronic industry and its terminology/symbology.)
Thanks for this video. Was doing the exact same replacement. Helped me get it done. The pico remote approach is really nice. One extra benefit of those when mounted in boxes is a lot of free space behind them for other switches in the same box.
Excellent video tutorials. It’s easy to follow especially the input and output of the 4-way switch. Perfect, I have the 4-way switch with level input and output.
Just a tip here. The diagram and explanation is great - but If you ever change out a combination 2 way and 3 way device in a crowded switch box make sure you take a photo of the wired device before you disconnect. You will regret it if you get distracted and forget which color conductor landed where. I have 2 3-ways and 2 4-ways in a back multifamily hallway and still only have 3 out of the 4 switches working (had to work with an assistant and took a half day - after an electrician tried to reconnect and then told me he would have to rewire the whole setup).
Have just started school doing electrical and am trying my very best to lean as much as I can about it thank you for posting this video man it help me alot I wud really like you to post a video starting from A step how to wire a cercuit using sheated cable thank u very much👍
great explaining bro, we don't have 4 way switches in France, from 3 and more combined switches we use "telerupteurs" with are basically a relay system in the panel that can be commanded from as many push buttons as you want. The cool thing is you can have the push buttons only on the neutral therefor not hot wires travelling at users level, very recommended in say a day care center, school etc
great video, short and to the point! Now I can be more confident when I do some fire restoration electrical work! thanks. I always done my own electrical, aside from wiring our home when we built it, but never realized the magic was in the switch! Thanks a lot.
How do I install a switch before a chimney? I have an incoming hot romex then my switch and the is the chimney, do I need a 3 way switch or a 2 way? And how would you lay it out? Thank you your videos are helping me so much man! Your way od teaching is very on point
Great explanation! Following the path that electricity flows helps to visualize how to stop such flow by opening the switch contact points. Thanks for taking the time to put this lesson together 👍
Hello, I need to add TWO 3-way switches to the same circuit. Basically, we have a double split level. Kitchen has stairs down to garage and stairs from garage down to basement. We have a 3way already, for the garage interior lights with a single pole running to the led motion light on the exterior garage. The switches are currently located at the top of the steps into the kitchen and a double switch for the garage indoor and outdoor lights located in between the two garage doors. We would like a 3way for the stairwell lights (1 in each well) with a 3way switch at the top of each stairwell. Next, we would like to keep the existing 3way that’s for the garage lights with the single pole for the exterior motion light.
Thanks for the help! I originally thought that on 4 way switches one black post was IN and the other black post was OUT The travelers would be the remaining two brass posts. Wrong! I am not the only one who got this WRONG.
Great video! I guess you can add as many 4-ways as you want in between the two 3-ways for additional switch locations? My current rental house has 5 (!!) switches controlling the same hallway light (one in each bedroom, one in the hallway). Ironically several of these are within arms reach of each other. 😂
Thanks for the video; one comment, please run neutral wires to switch gangs, even if not needed. It sure helps to add/upgrade to a smart switch device that requires a neutral wire to power itself.
thank you so much! i was struggling on how to wire a 4 way switch in circuit in class.... I think i finally understand now! im about to go to home depot and but the stuff to make a board to do this to make sure!!! Thank you so much! i love your channel! SUBSCRIBED!!!!!!!
The 4 way switches sold locally do not work the way you describe. With reference to your diagram, In one position of the switch each bottom terminal is connected to the top terminal directly above it. In the other switch position, each bottom terminal is connected to the top terminal diagonally across from it. So there is no switch position where one bottom terminal is connected to the top terminally diagonally opposite from it and the other bottom terminal is NOT connected to the top terminal diagonally opposite it. You suggest at 5:48 that such a thing is possible. Are you describing a different kind of 4-way switch? The wiring scheme you show does work for locally sold 4-way switches.
Sorry Harry, but Bobo is correct. Few people seem to understand what he is saying, but the irony is they don't really need to for it to still work. It's only their thinking that's broken- not the switch itself ;) If 4 way switches were built the way the video explains- the entire configuration simply couldn't work as intended. Good job Bobo!
Amazing video bro, only one question or suggestion, I work for a electrical company, I'm a 6 months apprentice and i got all of that but my company does huge house in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Santa monica and rich places like that and in all new contruction house, we now doing smart system switches for example, Lutron, Control #4 list goes on, and I would like to know if you can a video specifically on smart systems because I think that's how electrical future is going, we might not have switches no more only keypads, or phone, you get me ? Thank you for making great videos
Done some 3 way and 4 way wiring in electrical school. Haven t see. 3 ways with that screw config. Travelers were always the end with 2 screws. Like at the bottom in your diagram. The solo screw was always yhe power coming in from source or out to light. Maybe u can wire it different ways or different switches.
AWESOME video as always. If I could suggest something, I would recommend mentioning to viewers that they can add additional 4-way switches in the circuit if needed.
I NEED your help!!!! I have a 1963 home and we’re trying to replace the 3 way switches for our dining room lights but am running into issues. it’s hard to even describe how it was set up…. Are you able to troubleshoot it if we can connect somehow? How can I contact you?
It might be that I just don’t understand this correctly but the way you explained it, there are ways that you can hit two separate switches with out allowing current to go all the way through. - is the 4 way switch only have one path open at a time , or two separate paths that alternate from \/ to ||( going from connecting the traveler to the it’s diagonal common to both of the top connecting with the common directly under it) I’m not even an apprentice yet so this is all new to me, but I drew this out and the only way it made sense to me was if there are two paths in the 4 way that alternate from diagonal to parallel... not one that alternates from one parallel connection to the other parallel connection. Please help me understand this better... thanks
This was bugging me too. So the 4-way is not one diagonal or the other, its either both are in the diagonal position as a through connection; or both are in the vertical position as a through connection. (Left top to bottom and right top to bottom) So inside the 4-way switch itself, flipping the switch actually moves 2 pieces, right?
I was also confused by explanation of the connects across a 4-way switch...so much that I had to go to Home Depot and buy one to test. The functionality is that in one position there is contact between both of the diagonals....black to gold and black to gold. In the other position there is contact between both of the side terminals....again black to gold and black to gold. If you google 'pictures of 4 way switches' there is an excellent Java demo of a couple of 4-ways in action as other switches are flipped on and off.
In reply to Electrician U above saying "It's 2 diagonal paths. You're correct." …...uh, No! That's not it. 2 diagonal paths are connected AT SAME TIME in ONE of the switch positions. However, the other switch position connects the SIDE terminals(top to bottom) on BOTH SIDES AT THE SAME TIME. Understanding what is going on inside a 4-Way could be critical to an electrician, or even a tinkering homeowner like me who is trying to troubleshoot it. If any of you who are reading this have doubts about the way the contacts link up, just go buy yourself a 4-Way switch(like I was forced to do after getting confused by this video) and put your continuity meter on them and it will become clear. A 4-Way switch is basically two 3-Way switches in one box. The common terminals behave just like a 3-Way....they switch back and forth between the gold traveler terminals. By the way, I don't want to sound critical of Dustin's explanation of the 4-Way. It's just that the way he explained the connections didn't jive with the way I had it pictured in my mind. I am watching every single video he is producing since I think that 1. he is brilliant in his approach to his profession and 2. his detailed explanations of each and every 'move' that an apprentice electrician can make are the absolute best training videos I have ever seen. I told all my friends to have a look at his videos, especially the one about the fuckups he made as an apprentice and how they helped him to slow down, be more careful, and become a REAL MAN as well as MASTER ELECTRICIAN. I have worked with some good electricians before, and Dustin is the guy I want to work for and/or do my electrical work. I told my buddy in Austin that if he needs any work done to contact this PRO! ---John Hudson, Redmond, WA aka johnnyrebangel
Does anyone see this as wrong? At min 8:36 you would need to flip the two 3-way switches to make it work. His internals on the 4-way are wrong. It should toggle between chris-cross (X) and straight through (=) connectivity. That way you only ever need to flick one switch to complete the circuit.
I agree with you, James. I was going to make the same comment, but you said it better than I could. A four-way switch is a double-pole double throw (DPDT) switch. The poles either cross connect or straight connect. Then you can repeat as many of these as you need to complete the setup. The three way is a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch.
@@radickd2 you are correct and i commented on this up above, the 4 way "reverses the travellers" it is infact a dpdt switch with a builtin crossover or straight through function
Would a 3 way 4 way system be the same idea but just adding another 4 way switch? So two 3 way switches, with two 4 way switches in between them. I’m thinking I have that idea down, but not sure if how much more it would complicate the conducting paths.
Hey Dustin! I'm a newer subscriber. I'm trying to find info on installing dimmers on both sides of a 3 way. I found someone that said it can be done with standard 3 way switches but most say you can only dim from one side or the other but not both. What's the real deal? Really appreciate you sharing so much knowledge. Thank you so much!
One thing I struggle with as an industrial electrician is reading the wiring schematics. Would love to see a video on an easy/better way to break them down.
