How to Wire a 4 Way Switch Video
VIDEO SUMMARY
How would you like to be able to control one or more light fixtures from three or more switch locations? It is done with a 4-way switch. This video will show you how to install a four way switch in your home.
First, be sure to turn off the electric service to the circuits you are working on. A 120 volt circuit can kill you. To install a 4 way switch, you need to install it between two 3-way switches. To review, watch the Three Way Switch video first. Tim will wait while you watch.
Now that you have an understanding 3 way switch wiring, do you recall that the white cable, running between the two switches, has a red wire, black wire, white wire and a bare, copper ground wire. These wires will feed right through the 4 way switch. It is just that simple.
A 4 way switch has five screw connections total. There are two on the top, two on the bottom and the green grounding screw. The important thing to remember about the 4 way switch is it must be installed between two 3 way switches. If it is not between the three way switches, it will not work.
The video shows the switch boxes being numbered to help with the description. Box 1 is the first on the 3 way switches; box 2 is the new 4 way switch box being installed and the last 3 way switch box will be number 3.
Cut the white cable near the spot where the 4 way switch box will be located. Mount the switch box and feed both ends of the white cable into box 2 (the 4 way switch box). You should end up with a cable from box 1 going into box 2 and a separate cable from box 3 going into box 2.
Strip the insulation off the two cables and you will be ready to connect the 4 way switch. There will be two sets of red, black, white and copper wires inside box 2. To make the connections:
Wire nut the two white wires together. Twist the two copper wires together, leaving a pigtail to attach to the green ground screw.
That will leave you with 5 wires - two red, two black and the one copper pigtail. Since there are five screw connections on the 4 way switch, all the has to be done is connect these wires to the proper connections.
Where a lot of people make a mistake is if you take the two wires coming from one of the boxes, say box 1, connect one of them to the black screw and on to the brass screw on the same side of the switch, it will not work.
To properly wire the switch, you must connect the wires from box 1 to the two brass screw connectors. It does not matter which color wire goes on which brass screw. Then connect the two wires from box 3 to the two black screws. Again, it does not matter which color wire goes on which black screw. Finally, install the bare copper wire on the green grounding screw.
Restore the power to the circuit and give it a test. Your light fixture is now controlled by three different light switches. As long as the 4 way switch is wired between two 3 ways switches, you will be good to go. Flip the switches and you are done.
COMMENTS
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Carl Ratcliff 29 Dec 2008, 15:09
I have existing construction. Three switches work a pair of lights. Box 1
three wire cables one three-way(power in wire) two two-way, box 2 the two
two-ways, Box 3 one cable three-way. Can't get all three switches to work.
Three-way switches in boxes one and three, and a four-way in box two. Can
you help with a diagram for this wiring situation.
Bret 01 Jan 2009, 20:47
I have the same situation as Carl R, but I'm attempting to wire in a GFCI
circuit upstream (closer to breaker box) from the 2 hall light fixtures and
all three switches. The reason for this is this same circuit powers five
outlets and the overhead light fixture in our 20 month old son's room. I'm
familiar with GFCI outlets and 3-way and 4-way switches, but getting
confused how they should be properly wired to allow the GFCI to work
without tripping when the light switch is turned on. Unfortunately, the
existing wiring is not color coded with a nice red wire. Looks like the
eletrician used an additional standard wire with ground, hot and neutral.
I'll try to figure it out, but any suggestions are sure to be appreciated.
Primarily, should two ceiling light fixtures controlled by two 3-way and
one 4-way switch be able to have a GFCI outlet upstream? Again, I do care
about GFCI protecting the hall lights, but their wiring is integrated with
our little boy's bedroom wiring and the GFCI trips any time I turn on the
hall light. This is the reason for my question. Thanks in advance for any
help and Happy New Year! :)
Jessica 10 Jan 2009, 21:52
I have 3 switches that control 1 light. I have a four way switch in the
middle and a three way switch on the other two. My problem is that when the
first 3 way switch is in the off position the other switches will not work.
Ihave one black one red and one white wire to work with. Thank you a
million
Bret 10 Jan 2009, 22:44
Hello Jessica, I ran into a similar problem before I finally figured out
the issue that I was having (related to GFCI). If you switch the TWO
"runner" wires on the 3-way switch that you referred too, that should
address your issue. On that switch you'll have a GROUND (bare wire to
Green screw) connection, a HOT (Load or line wire, should be black) and a
pair of wires (if your electrician used standard wire like mine did) that
are black and wire (ground wire on the "runner" wire pair is usually not
used, but may be grounded for the heck of it). If you reverse those
"runner" pair, that should correct your 'master switch' problem so that the
3-way will play nice and not 'over-power' the other two. Hope that helps.
Bret
colette 29 Mar 2009, 08:48
hi i don't know if this is related or not but i have a problem with my
downstairs bathroom , every time i turn on light the trip switch goes i've
changed bulb and checked fitting but there is an expel air next to light
which is starting to seperate from ceiling , Any ideas!!!!!
Bret 29 Mar 2009, 14:04
Hello Colette. Have you always had this problem or did it just recently
start? Also, when you say "trip switch", do you mean the circuit breaker
in the main power panel or a GFCI switch that is in that bathroom? I may
be able to help. If you'd like to email me, feel free (xeonbret @
yahoo.com). Off the top of my head, it sounds like you may have a short
caused by the exhaust fan coming down out of the ceiling. I'd suggest that
until you find the problem, leave the circuit breaker off to avoid a fire
hazard (just in case that is the problem). Better to be safe than sorry.
I'm guessing the reason you can reset the breaker is because the light
switch is off and there's no power getting to the light/fan in the ceiling,
but as soon as you flip the switch and it gets power, if a short exists, it
should pop the breaker immediately to avoid starting a fire. If I'm
confused and it's the GFCI 'test' switch that keeps popping, let me know.
That's different.
Nita Deardorff 05 Apr 2009, 22:24
Hello Bret. My problem. New house wiring. I have three lights and 2-
3-ways and a 4-way switch. There is also a GFI fed from the same power
wire, (Wire coming from panel). I have all three fixtures run together
with 12-2 romex. I have a 3-way hooked to a 4-way and then to a 3-way. I
have the lights hooked up to one three way and the power coming from the
panel to the other 3-way with the GFI coming from the same switch box. I
have tried every thing, but the 3-way switch that has the power coming in
and a GFI wired in has to be on for the other two switches to work. I read
somewhere that I need another 12-2 wire to run between the lights, I can
not do that since we have already drywalled, is there any way to make this
work so all three switches will work together? Does the GFI have something
to do with it? Please help!
Larry 15 Jul 2009, 15:53
I understand how to wire a 4 way switch where 3 switches will control a
single light. If I wanted the ability to add another switch would I add
another 4 way switch and connect it to the 4 way switch just wired? If so,
how would it be wired?
Larry 15 Jul 2009, 15:55
Thanks to anyone who can answer my above question.
Bret Bowman 15 Jul 2009, 16:14
Hey Larry, you should only need 3-way switches on the outside and 4-way
switches (as many as you want) in between the two outside 3-way switches.
If you're adding an additional light, but no extra switches, just piggy back it off of the first light is probably the easiest way. Hope that helps. View all comments |
