Fine Beautiful Inside A 3 Way Switch
The key ingredient is a special type of switch called a three way switch.
Inside a 3 way switch. With these you ll have the convenience of turning a light on and off from two spots. A 4 way switch is dpdt inside. They re used like this.
Simulate this circuit schematic created using circuitlab. No more extra trips across the room or fumbling up a dark stairway. So what you should see if you have correct 3 wire electrical cable romex is a black power white neutral and now a 3rd red wire.
Three way switches are commonly used to control a light fixture from two different locations. A typical 3 way switch works by allowing current 2 pathways. In a hallway or large room for example installing three way switches at both ends lets you turn the light fixture on or off from both locations.
This is the 3 wire cable which you must have to wire a 3 way light switch. If you only need two switches just connect sw1 and sw2 directly to each other. A three way wall switch is a common type of light switch that makes it possible to control a ceiling light or other electrical fixture from two different locations in a room.
The 4 way switch is simply crossing the connections or connecting them straight through sort of an xor function. A 3 way switch is spdt. If you need 3 or more switches add any number of 4 way switches in between as shown.
You ll need two of them one to replace the existing switch and another for the new switch location. For example a long hallway or stairway might use a pair of three way switches at each end so that lights can be turned on when approaching one end of the hall or stairway then shut off from the other end. Matt anderson photography getty images in your house or apartment you probably have at least one light that is controlled by two separate switches.