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| Thread ID: 121681 | 2011-11-06 03:06:00 | Electrical help needed | Thomas01 (317) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1242228 | 2011-11-06 03:06:00 | I have used ordinary light switches and also 2 way switches. But the retirement village I am going to, has a wiring diagram for my unit which shows both 2 way and 3 way switches. Puzzled by the 3 way I googled it and found it was virtually what I always called 2 way. Even more puzzling I find one of the 2 way switches has an ordinary switch at the other end of the circuit. Why? Can anybody explain why I have both types now, and what the differences are. Obviously my previous electrical training was a very long time ago! |
Thomas01 (317) | ||
| 1242229 | 2011-11-06 04:09:00 | Maybe what they refer to as a three way switch is what we call an intermediate switch. It is common to have two switches at each end of a hallway for example either being able to turn the light on and off. An intermediate switch might be in the middle of the passageway which can also turn the light on and off. There is also a switch that has three positions, a middle position and an up and down position. Not used in a domestic situation that I know of. |
tut (12033) | ||
| 1242230 | 2011-11-06 08:55:00 | Maybe what they refer to as a three way switch is what we call an intermediate switch. It is common to have two switches at each end of a hallway for example either being able to turn the light on and off. An intermediate switch might be in the middle of the passageway which can also turn the light on and off. There is also a switch that has three positions, a middle position and an up and down position. Not used in a domestic situation that I know of. Yes - just my thoughts. In fact 70 years ago I was helping my father wire up 2 way switches. But why my new place has both 2 and 3 way switches puzzles me. I did try the Internet but found that the explanation of 3 way switches was just what I understood to be 2 way. Asking the electrician on the job should lead somewhere. |
Thomas01 (317) | ||
| 1242231 | 2011-11-06 09:11:00 | If you look here - en.wikipedia.org and go down to the bottom where it says "more than two locations" |
decibel (11645) | ||
| 1242232 | 2011-11-06 17:01:00 | Nice diagrams decibel. Seems as usual the Yanks use a different system to us to confuse the issue. In the diagram for Traveller System what they call a 3 way switch is our normal 1 way switch.(All 1 way switches are constructed to be used for a two way circuit) Their 4 way is what we call an intermediate switch. I am glad I am retired if some one is teaching the American system of naming things electrical. |
tut (12033) | ||
| 1242233 | 2011-11-06 18:52:00 | PDL switch catalogues have a selection of wiring diagrams at the back. They show a 3 way circuit with 2 way switches at each end and intermediate switch(es) between. Not all switches are 2 way, you can find 1 way switches. | PaulD (232) | ||
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