How To Wire a Four-Way Switch

Hi guys welcome to the new post. Here we will learn How To Wire a Four-Way Switch. The switch is a simple electronic device. That is used for opening and closing the circuit. When closed curent flows through the circuit and connected devices or light gets on. The circuit does not have a current flow when the switch is closed. The wiring used for switches can confuse such as for three-way or four-way switches. 3 way switches control lights at two differnt points such as in the staircase you can on and off lights at the top and bottom. if there is a four-way switch in the circuit, we can control lights for three different points such as the entry point of the room having 3 doors from the kitchen, the hall, and the back porch. Here we will learn how to make the wiring of four wasy switches and their featues. So let’s get started with How To Wire a Four-Way Switch.

Table of Contents

What are 4-Way Switch Wire Colors?

There is no proper standard for wiring colors on there and four-way switches. The colors can be different based on the conduit connected.
For NM cable the wire colors are black and red for three-wire cables. For conduit, the wire colors can be of any type.

4-Way Toggle Switch Wiring Diagram

How to Wire a 4-Way Switch

Here are the steps explained for four-way switch wiring.

Ensure that power with the circuit is disconnected at the circuit breaker. Check power with the use of a voltage tester to make sure that power is off before further work. When you make sure that power is ff run the cables to locations of switches for circuit wiring. Note that four-way switches should be connected among two 3-way switch configurations.
- Black, ground, and white wires run from the panel to the first three-way switches.
- Black, red, white, and ground wires run from the first three ways to four-way switches
- black red white, and ground wires from four-way switches to 2nd three-way switch.
- Run white, ground, and black wires from 2nd three-way switch to light fixtures.
Ready the wires with the use of wire strippers. Cut 3 six-inch pieces of oper ground wires to use as pigtails in the wiring process. Remove the covering sheath on the cables and leave about 6 inches of wires in every switch box where you are working.
In every switch box, there are 2 bare grounding wires. Twist these 2 grounding wires with each other and move the wire nut to make strong connections. After that twist the free end of the pigtail over the green grounding screw point and strong the screw to hold the ground position. Do this process for each switch box.
Connect the white neutral wire with the use of a wire nut after that push the neutral wires at the back side of the box. Connect incoming black wire from the panel with a black or common screw terminal on the switch. This point is normally differnt colors than 2 traveler terminal screws. Make the connection of outgoing traveler wire and outgoing red traveler wires with 2 remaining screw terminals. These wires will carry curent to switches.
Now connect white neutral wires and send them back to the box before further working. Connect the incoming black wire and incoming red traveler wire from the first three-way switch with terminal input or with four four-way switches. These terminals are normally black colors. Find black traveler wires and red traveler wires from the 2nd 3-way switch.

When Need a 4-Way Switch?

The four-way switch is needed for controlling the light or lights from 2 or more points.

4-Way Switch – 2-Pole Switch!

The four-way switch comes with 4 terminals so do not be confused during buying two pole switches by mistake. The 4-way terminals are denoted as In and Out. The working of this switch is simple for either switches the traveler straight through. For adding more than 3 locations for a single set of lights put more four-way switches switches between two 3 ways. Here the circuit is made for connection 4-way circuit.

How Four-Way Switches Work

In the above figure, you can see how the 4-way switch circuit works for controlling the light. The left side switch is a three-way switch, the center switch is four-way and the right side switch is 3 way. In the circuit red color is the hot wire, the green color neutral wire, and the blue color is the wires is the floating wire. With the use of different switch positions, the continuous circuit must be completed with the use of a voltage source to the bulb. if voltage is routed to a dead end the bulb will not glow.

Read Also:

FAQs

What are the colors of the wires on a 4-way switch?

Wries can have differnt colors if wiring is heated in conduit. But normal wire colors are black and red used for travelers and white used for neutral wires.
What is the difference between a 3-way and a 4-way switch?

The basic difference is the number of connections every switch can make. The 3-way switch connects two light switches for controlling single light fixtures and the four-way switch connects 3 light switches for controlling one light fixture.
Does a 4-way switch have input and output?

The 4-way switch is created with the use of 4 terminals. Two are used for incoming travelers wires and 2 for outgoing traveler wires. So four-way switches have input and output

Can a 4-way switch be wired as a 3-way?

Yes, through using 3 of 4 connections on a four-way switch. Two are used for line and load and one for traveler wire.

How do you wire a 4 wire to a 3 wire?

Make a connection of the ground wire of three wire cables with the ground wire of four-wire cables. Attach the black wire of the wire circuit with the red or black wire of the wire circuit. Red and black wires are hot wires and any wire can be used to provide power to the circuit.

How many switches can be on a 4-way?

We can use many intervening four-way switches as needed for controlling the light circuits, but these switches must be bookended with the use of two three-way switches.