Marvelous Changing 3 Way Switch To Single Pole

3 way switches allow you to control a circuit from two different locations and they re commonly used for lighting to conveniently turn the lights on and off from two different places.

Changing 3 way switch to single pole. You don t need the other terminal on the three way switch so it s fine to cover it over with electrical tape to ensure the terminals don t get mixed up. To convert a 3 way switch to single pole one of the traveler wires is removed from the switch. How 3 way switches work 3 way switches are named for the fact that each switch has three hot terminals two traveler terminals and one common terminal.

Connect the live wire turn off power before touching with fingers to the new cable white wire wire nut no screw and the other switch wire black to the lights to the common terminal usually darker colored or engraved c of a 3 way switch. The other traveler terminal is left unconnected. You can actually achieve that functionality by converting a single switched circuit to a 3 way switched circuit without too much work.

To use a three way switch as a single pole one connect the hot wires to the common terminal and the traveler on the same side of the switch body. Dominick amorosso decemberj 2012 110 volt electrical 11 comments 27439 views in this video i explain just how easy it is to add a three way switch to an existing single pole one switch lighting circuit. Convert three way switch to single pole move to the other three way switch and remove the cover plate and switch screws.

Turn the power back on at the breaker box. Remove the two wires from the existing switch. It will not work if the wires are connected to the two traveler terminals.

Single pole switch on line side left side of diagram blank. The traveler terminals. You can wire a 3 way switch as a sigle pole switch by finding which screw terminals work together.

In order for a 3 way switch to function as a single pole the wires need to be connected to the common and one of the traveler terminals. How to wire a three way switch to a existing single pole light switch circuit.