How to Test and Replace a 3-way Switch

[kentwright]

Excellent video! Thank you very much for sharing it.

[weldo]

Thanks for your video! I struggled with a three way switch set up where one switch worked great but the other switch only worked in one position. I never thought that a switch would fail after only 34 years in service. Your video demonstrated the use of continuity testing, which identified that one leg of the second switch had failed. I put a new switch in its place and it is working perfectly now. Thanks!!!

[timdolan]

To be sure, do you need to remove the wires before testing for continuity

[DanniMunro]

I already replaced my 3 way switch and just copied the (super old) old switch by lining up the ground wire screw placement, and then detaching one wire and reattaching it one at a time, but old switch was “upside down”... and now I’m terrified I miss wired and my house will burn down... the switches work fine... does that confirm I did it ok?

[VivaLasVegusNervana]

I had a 3 way work fine for 3 months and then only would work if both were switched on. Why failure after 3 months? Could this point to a larger looming problem?

[Basskingdom]

So if you switch is bad and needs to be replace, what would happened in the test?

[bob]

I have a 3-way switched light that will not go off no matter what combination of positions the switches are in. Its an old installation (probably in the 60s) and one of the switches was replaced about 6 months ago and was working fine. Just yesterday it stopped with this always on condition. My first reaction was just to replace the other old 3way but is there something else going on? I don't think I ever heard of this failure mode.