Below is a video on how to replace a 3-way light switch.
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Today we will be showing you how to replace a 3 way light switch. They also make a 3-Way Dimmer. In your house or apartment, you probably have at least one light that is controlled by two separate switches. Whenever you flip either one of the switches the light if it is on it turns off, and if it is off it turns on. A 3-way light uses a different switch and a different wire. The switch has three terminals and the wire has a Black, White, Red wire and the ground
To start we can turn the light on using one of the switches. Next we can turn off the breaker for that circuit. You will know the circuit is off when the light goes out. Next we can take a flat screw driver and remove the two screws that hold the cover plate in place and then remove the cover plate.
With those screws removed we can grab a Phillips screw driver and loosen the screws that hold the switch in the box. With those two screws removed we can pull the switch out from the box. At this point you may want to use a tester to ensure that the power is off to the switch.
Once we have the switch removed from the box. We can locate the common wire. If it is a newer switch it will have the word common close to one of the screw terminals. If it doesn’t it might have a black colored screw that is also where the common wire will be. The other screws will be brass or silver in color.
Once you have located the common wire remember which one it is and we can now take all the wires off the switch. Then grab our new 3-way switch and locate the common screw and attach our common wire to it and tighten it down with a Phillips screw driver. Next we can attach the other two wires to the other screw terminals. It doesn’t matter what screw terminal they go under. Then attach your ground wire to the switch.
If your switch doesn’t have the word common on it or the black screw you will need to take a tester and test the wires to figure out which wire is the common wire. You will need to turn the breaker back on. If it is the main switch you will test the three wires and see what wire has power all the time that is the supply wire. That will be the wire going onto the common screw. If it is not the main switch you will test all three wires and see which wire doesn’t ever get power. You will need to flip the main switch while testing the wires. The wire that doesn’t ever get power will be the wire that will go under the common terminal on the second switch. That will be the wire that goes up to the light.
Once we have the new switch reconnected we can turn the breaker on and flip the switch to ensure it is wired properly and also to make the switch the same direction as the other one. As we might have to flip the switch before we reinstall it into the box. So we tested our switch and it functions as it should and ours is facing the same way as our other switch. Next we can turn the breaker back off and then push the wires and switch back into the box, making sure not to pinch any of the wires. Once we have the switch back in we can use a Phillips screw driver to tight the screws to hold the switch into the box. Make sure the switch is centered in the box to ensure it can’t short out on the metal box.
Once we have the switch secure in the box we can now reinstall the Cover plate and tighten it down with a flat screw driver. With the cover reinstalled we can turn the breaker back on and test the switch one last time.
So with the 3-way switch replaced and functioning properly that’s it we have just showed you how to replace a 3-way switch.
