4 way switches

i am wiring a garage with 4 over head lights and three switches to opreate the lights. how do I do this.

 

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...mith/4-way.htm

http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/courses/p230/switches.html

Hope these 2 sites will give you the info you require, if you need more, just ask.

 

Buy two 3-way switches and one 4-way switch. Run power to the first 3-way in a 12/2. Run a 12/3 from the 3-way to the 4-way, and another 12/3 from the 4-way to the second 3-way. Run 12/2 from the second 3-way to the first light, another 12/2 from from the first light to the second light, etc.

Somebody here is going to recommend the following site, but I like my scheme above instead, especially for more than one light. It's really easy to screw up multiple lights when the power comes to the light before the switches.

http://www.homedoctor.net/tipsfaq/2.3.html

Anyway, the site above will show you how the switches work, but don't wire it that way.

The following site:

http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/courses...switches.html#

shows my preferred method, but it shows two 4-way switches. You only need one, so you can skip the other 4-way switch. Use the FIRST picture with 4-way switches, NOT the SECOND picture (which shows the light between the two 4-way switches). The second picture is subject to the multiple-light confusion I noted above.

Be very wary of following a diagram with only one light when you have more than one light.

 

smashedworm (i won't ask),
you will need two 3-way switches, and one 4-way switch. I will describe the wiring and if you are unsure of how to do it repost or email me and I will draw a sketch for you. The 3 way switch is a single pole double throw switch, so what it does is switches your 120 volts from one terminal to the other. The 4 way is a double pole double throw, with some extra wiring in it. What it does is rolls the two hot legs. The 3 way switches go on each end of your circuit and the 4 way switch goes in the middle. By the way you can install as many 4 way switches as you like. Your 120 volt source (2 conductor w/gnd) cable comes in to the first 3 way switch with the black (hot) wire going to the black screw on the switch. The white wire in this cable is the neutral. You will need one run of 3 conductor w/gnd from this switch to the 4 way switch. The red and black wires in this 3/c cable will go to the copper colored screws on the 3 way switch, the white in the 3/c will be spliced to the white in the 2/c supply cable. The red and black in this 3/c cable will attach to one pair of terminals on the 4 way switch. I have found that 4 way switches sometimes have the terminals side by side and some are top and bottom. Check yours, it should be marked on the switch. You will need a run of 3/c w/gnd from this 4 way switch to the second 3 way switch. The red and black in this second run of 3/c will go to the second pair of terminals on the 4 way switch. The white wires from both the 3/c cables are spliced together. At the second 3 way switch the red and black wires from the 3/c cable go to the two copper colored terminals on the switch. The black wire in a second run of 2/c will go to the black screw on your 3 way switch and will go to your light. The white wire in this run of 2/c splices to the white in the 3/c. This will be the neutral for your light.

Last time I wired one, it didn't work the first time. The problem is usually with the 4 way switch because of the way they are marked.

I will be glad to draw a sketch and email it to you.



Ichabod

 

thank you every one for the help, I will give it a try and see what hapepens