Find the correct wiring for a 3-way switch in 2-minutes!

How to determine the correct wires to attach to a 3-way switch when the wire and screw terminal color code is not certain. It's a foolproof way for a proper connection!

[feltsmartin]

This is how a video should be, no obnoxious intro, no shout outs, no annoying sponsorship videos or obnoxiously loud music. Just straight to the point in a very easy to follow manner and you made me feel confident in what I was doing since you broke everything down in such a simple manner. You should definitely make more videos.

[reggiemorisset]

Spent half a day scouring the internet, trying to figure out what this dude explained and solved in 90 seconds. Thank you!!

[ETfonehome]

im a newbie electrician myself and I can guarantee you I'll never forget this video. when you tie all three wires together it sends power to both travelers at the same time, leaving the switch leg (common on the load side) to read 0v, genius! great video.

[jamessalkind]

This is a clinic on how to make a "how-to" video. Short, concise, and informative. And you helped me sort out 60 year old wiring. Thanks

[FMDev]

By far one of the best how to videos in existence. It blows me away that some videos on the same content are 13minutes, 20 minutes, etc...I have already fallen asleep by then.

[blueheaven]

You are the man. Every single 3 way in my house was wired wrong. Fixing the first one from this guide after 2 years felt so satisfying.

[bearcub]

OMG, I've been looking at videos about 3 way switches and thought I was going to loose my mind. Some were 12 minutes long. You made this so quick and simple. It worked the first time with no issues. Thank you so much!

[Tense]

Thank you, this was the first video that just explained it without an entire lecture on electrical theory, and the history of the 3-way switch.

[plast]

BRILLIANT!!! Easy, makes total sense, and explained in 2 minutes. Wow! I wasted half a day before finding this which showed just how to troubleshoot a miswired 3-way switch circuit. Can't thank you enough!!👏👏👏

[I-sed-no]

This is, by far, the best 3-way explanation on YouTube. There's no reason to spend 10 minutes to explain this. No obnoxious intro, unnecessary talking. Perfect. Thank you!!!!

[ChrisWilliams-vmdo]

Thank you! I was having a tough time figuring out what wire was what until I followed your directions. My issue was, I thought I was dealing with the “live wire on one end, when it was really the load. Then I had a traveler mixed up with the live wire. Anyway, after doing exactly what you did, I got it all sorted out.

[Sparky-wwre]

To add to one's already confused wiring there are also two rare and abnormal three way wiring configurations that may be encountered in a very old house. There what's know as the California, or coast 3 way, which connects the hot on a traveler, then jumps over to the same traveler terminal on the other 3 way, the common terminals between the two three way switches are wired together, the the load connects to the other traveler. The other 3 way configuration is often called a carter 3 way, and goes by various names including Chicago, lazy neutral, lazy Susan, farmers, barnyard, hot shot, power beyond, among other nicknames. This setup connects a hot and neutral to the travellers on both switchs, and the load is connected in between, to the common terminals. The load can have 4 possible states: 1) Neutral-Neutral = OFF. 2)Hot-Neutral=ON, correct polarity. 3) Hot-Hot =OFF, and fixture is live at both terminals. 4) Neutral-Hot= ON, reverse polarity. The carter 3 way method was banned by the NEC in 1923, but remained commonly used until the 1960s for farms that have a yardlight switched from the house and barn with receptacles constant hot, using three wires in between instead of four not counting the ground.

[UncleAL]

After hours of frustration, I decided to look here - your video not only saved the day but my sanity as well! Thank You!!

[davidthompson]

Thanks! I watched five other videos and they didn't solve my problem. But this video did ...and so quickly, clearly and simply. I appreciate it!!🙏

[heidis]

Good video. Just 1 peice of advice... TAKE A PICTURE OF THE WIRES BEFORE YOU START. Still follow the videos instructions to determine which wire is which. Do not reattach according to the picture. But better to have and not need - and once you have it properly hooked up, you can look at the picture and determine what the problem was (if there was one).

[ChristopherJSutherland]

If you've been searching the Internet for hours like I have to fix a 3-way switch, stop now, because this video is perfection. I was having trouble with my 3-way switch and watched several videos using methods such as rotating the wires one position at a time until it comes together, except none of them worked. This video explains how to find the correct wires and does it simply. Thanks for doing this!

[maxsho]

This is the greatest video on YouTube :). Saved me a ton of troubleshooting time once I finally watched. Wish I would have found this hours ago!!

[HarveyCohen]

I identified all the wires in a 3-switch (one 4-way) setup quickly and easily. Thanks so much! The algorithm is: 1) disconnect everything, 2) find the hot wire and label it, 3) connect all the wires in that box, 4) find the hot wire(s) in the next box and label it/them, and repeat from #3. At the last box, the wire that's not hot is load.
Should work for any multi-switch setup!

[maryannfitzsimmons]

I REALLY wish I had watched this video an hour and a half ago! Great video, really simple instructions and so easy to follow. It was my first time replacing these types of switches and had been fighting with one set that wouldn't work after my handiwork - followed your process and got it right immediately. And now all the switches and outlets in the room are the same color 🙂

[johnday]

This is probably the best how-to video I have ever seen. I was losing my mind with replacing 2 3-way switches where the wiring color was no help. This made it so easy and saved my sanity. I’ll never forget this video too.