How To Wire A Three Way Light Switch With Dimmer

If only one switch controls the light purchase a single pole dimmer.

How to wire a three way light switch with dimmer. These diagrams illustrate how to wire a pair of three way light switches in three different situations. Three way switches can commonly be found at either end of a hallway near the doors of a very large room with multiple entryways or at the top and bottom of a set of stairs. But if you re replacing a three way switch with a three way dimmer label the common wire it ll be labeled on the old switch when you remove the old switch so you can connect it to the common terminal on the dimmer. You will need a three way dimmer and a three way switch.

How to wire a three way dimmer switch. A three way switch is built and wired a little differently than a conventional single pole light switch. From the dimmer 3 wire cable runs to the other switch and 2 wire cable runs to the light fixture. Attach to the bonded ground wire s in the switch box.

Wiring a 3 way light switch. Three way light switches control a light from two locations such as from both ends of a staircase or hallway. They allow you the ability to turn the lights on or off from either location. These wires attach to the travelers which are the pair of wires attached to the two screws at one end of the regular 3 way switch.

This lets you dim from one location and turn the lights on and off from another. Wiring a 3 way light switch is certainly more complicated than that of the more common single pole switch but you can figure it out if you follow our 3 way switch wiring diagram. 3 way switches are also marked with four wires in the wall outlet. At the 3 way switch the white cable wire is marked black and connected to the common terminal.

The source hot wire is spliced to the common on the dimmer and the neutral is splice through to the light fixture. With a pair of 3 way switches either can make or break the connection that completes the circuit to the light. Wiring a standard 3 way dimmer switch. 3 way dimmer switches typically come with the following pre wired leads.

With a three way dimmer you can control a light with two switches.