Wire a 4 Way Switch

When you add a 4-way electrical wall switch to a wiring circuit with a number of 3-way switches, you can turn a lighting fixture or appliance on and off from several different locations. For example, you may want to control a ceiling light in the basement from the top of the stairs, from the bottom of the stairs, and from a door leading to the outside. This is not as complicated as it sounds, but when working with electrical wiring, you will want to know how to wire a 4-way switch easily and safely.

Steps

Put safety first.

  1. Turn off electric power.
    • Locate circuit breaker box.
    • Identify the circuit breaker that controls electricity in the area where you will be working.
    • Turn off that circuit breaker.
  2. Return to location you plan to wire and use current detector to verify that there is no electric flow to that box.
    • If it lights up, you did not identify the correct circuit breaker and need to return to the circuit breaker box and start over.
    • If it does not light up, there is no current, and it is safe to proceed

Examine the 4-way switch.

  1. Study the 4-way switch and the manufacturer's directions.
    • A 4-way switch has 4 terminals or poles.
    • Two terminal/poles are labeled "in," and two are labeled "out."
    • Wires, called "travelers," will travel straight through or crisscross.

Wire the switch.

  1. Consider the lighting fixture as the "source" of the flow of current.
    • Two wires enter to the source fixture's wire box; the black one carries the current, and the white wire is neutral.
  2. Connect the black wire coming into the light box to the white wire that leads out of the box to the switch box, and allow that white wire to continue as a neutral flow.
    • Remove about 0.25 inches (0.635 cm) of rubber insulation.
    • Use needle-nose pliers to wrap the exposed ends together.
    • Complete connection by screwing wire nut onto joint tightly.
    • Wrap the wire nut connection with electric tape.
    • Repeat this wire connection process at each wire connection.
  3. Connect the black wire coming from the fixture to the black wire leading out of the box.
  4. Connect the white wire coming into the light's box to the white wire on the fixture.

Wire the first 3-way switch.

  1. Connect the black wire coming into the switch box to the black wire extending from the switch.
    • Remove approximately .25 inches (0.635 cm) of insulation to expose wire.
    • Use needle-nose pliers to shape a loop at the end of the wire.
    • Attach the loop to the terminal and tighten with a screwdriver.
  2. Attach the white wire coming into the switch box to the top pole on right.
    • Repeat the wire to pole process at each terminal connection.
  3. Attach the red wire and white wire going out of the box to the next switch to the bottom poles of the 3-way switch.

Wire the 4-way switch.

  1. Attach the black wire entering the 4-way switch box from the 3-way switch box to the black wire on the 4-way switch.
  2. Attach the red and white wires entering the 4-way switch box to the top terminals on the 4-way switch - red on the left top pole and white on the right top pole.
  3. Attach the red and white wires exiting the 4-way switch box to the next 3-way switch box to the bottom terminals on the 4-way switch - red on the left bottom pole and white on the right bottom pole.

Wire the last 3-way switch

  1. Attach black wire entering last 3-way switch box to the top right pole of the 3-way.
  2. Attach the red and white wires entering the box to the light colored poles at the bottom of the switch - red to the bottom left pole and white to the bottom right pole.

Complete the circuit.

  1. Restore electricity by turning circuit breaker back on.
  2. Test switches.



Tips

  • You can add any number of switches to this circuit as long as you install 4-way switches between 3-way switches.
  • After you have turned off circuit breaker, cover the switch with a strip of electric tape, so no one in the household is tempted to turn the breaker back on.
  • A green wire is the ground wire, and it should be attached to a ground pole, usually a green screw in the box.
  • 4-way switches must not start or end the series of switches.

Warnings

  • Stop if you see that the existing wiring is aluminum; only professionals can deal with the problems and risks in aluminum wiring.
  • When working with electricity, have first aid instructions and protocols handy.

Things You'll Need

  • 4-way switch
  • 3-way switches
  • Flat head and Phillips head screwdrivers
  • Plastic wire nuts
  • Electric tape
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Current detector

Sources and Citations

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