WHILE EXTREME CARE HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN THE
PREPARATION OF THIS SELF-HELP DOCUMENT, THE AUTHOR AND/OR PROVIDERS
OF THIS DOCUMENT ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS,
NOR IS ANY LIABILITY ASSUMED FROM THE USE OF THE INFORMATION,
CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT, BY THE AUTHOR and / OR PROVIDER.
Connections Instructions:
(as depicted in the diagrams above)
At the Fixture
box...
One cable entering this box coming from switch 1.
* a) connect the red wire to the ungrounded
conductor (hot) of fan (shown as red in diagram) on
fan / light combo fixture.
* b) connect the black wire coming from switch to
the switched ungrounded conductor (hot) from light
(shown as black in diagram) on fan / light combo
fixture.
* c) connect the white wire coming from switch to
the grounded conductor (neutral) of fan / light
combo fixture.
* d) please see under important notes in regards to
the equipment grounding conductor (bare wire).
At switch box
1...
Three cables entering this box coming, one coming
from fixture, one coming from switch 2, and one is
the 'circuit power supply cable'.
* a) connect the black wire coming from fixture to
the common screw of the 3 way switch (this will
switch the light of the fan/light combo fixture)
* b) using an insulated wire nut connect / join the
white wire coming from fixture + the white wire
coming from the 'circuit power supply cable' + the
white wire coming from switch 2.
* c) using an insulated wire nut connect / join the
red wire coming from fixture + the black wire from
'circuit power supply cable' + the black wire coming
from switch 2.
* d) connect the blue wire coming from switch 2 to
one of the remaining main screws of 3 way switch 1.
* e) connect the red wire coming from switch 2 to
the last main screws of 3 way switch 1.
* f) please see under important notes in regards to
the equipment grounding conductor (bare wire).
At switch box
2...
One cable entering this box coming from switch 1.
* a) connect the black wire coming from switch 1 to
the common screw of the 3 way switch (this will
switch the light of the fan/light combo fixture)
* b) connect the blue wire coming from switch 1 to
one of the remaining main screws of 3 way switch.
* c) connect the red wire coming from switch 1 to
the last main screws of 3 way switch.
* d) using an insulated wire nut cap off the white
wire coming from switch 1.
* d) please see under important notes in regards to
the equipment grounding conductor (bare wire).
Important Notes:
By electrical codes you MUST have at least 6 inches
of wire in the electrical box itself, and also the
wire must be able to reach at least 3 inches outside
the box, it can fail an electrical inspection if the
required min. wire length is not met. You may have
the wires a bit longer (within reason) but they
cannot be shorter. Also see the note on box fill
further down in this article.
Use wire nuts of the correct size to join wires
together. For fan / light combination fixtures, most
likely it will have wire connections, the white wire
is the grounded conductor (neutral) and connects to
the white wire coming from switch, any green wires
are equipment grounding conductors, then there will
be two other wires one will be the switched
ungrounded conductor (hot) for the light, and one
will be the ungrounded conductor (hot) for the fan..
If you are confused please post to our forums for
further clarification.
What is not shown in the drawings to avoid
confusion, is that each wire cable also has a bare
equipment grounding wire included. This wire is
connected to a grounding screw in each electrical
box (if the box is metal), joined either through the
grounding screws in the box itself or via a wire nut
to the bare wire of the next cable entering /
exiting the box, it is also connected to any
grounding screw (if there is one) on the switch
itself, as well as any grounding screw at the
fixture (green wires that attach to the fixture are
grounds). Now if using a plastic box, it is made of
a material that is non conductive, however some
plastic boxes have a metal strip inside that can
still be used to connect equipment grounding wires,
in the event that it does not use wire nuts to join
the bare grounding wires together. The equipment
grounding wire (bare in most cables) must be
electrical conductively joined throughout the
circuit. Green wires are also equipment grounding
conductors.
At the switch itself there are 3 main electrical
screws, one of these 3 screws is distinctly
different in color (perhaps darker) than the other
2. This screw connection is called the common screw.
It is very important that in order for the 2
switches to work as they are intended to that the
correct wire is attached to the common screw.
Basically as depicted in the drawings one switch has
the ungrounded conductor (hot) from the circuit
power supply cable attached to the common screw,
where the other switch had the ungrounded conductor
(hot) feed to the light fixture itself.
Please also note that there are a variety of
manufactures out there that make 3 way switches so
it is possible that the switch you buy may have the
common screw located in a different spot or side of
the switch then depicted in the drawings in this
article, just make sure that the wire depicted to go
to the common screw of each of the switches is
actually connected to the common screw of the 3 way
switch you bought. The other 2 wires going between
the remaining screws of one switch to the other
switch does not matter as long as one wire of the 2
remaining wires go on each of the remaining 2 screws
of the screw.
If there is an equipment grounding screw on the
switch it may be green in color and be separated
away from the main connections of the switch and
likely part of the metal frame that is also part of
the mounting structure of the switch.
Extensions to
this Switch circuit...
Be Aware that there is a limit by code on how many
wires can be in a given size electrical box, when
adding more wires to the same box you may have to
install a larger and / or deeper box to allow space
for more wires coming and out of the box.
Here is an article / explanation in regards to box
fill calculations '
Box
Fill Calculation'
The instructions here are based on the fact that the
circuit has already been wired to the configuration
shown in this article and we are now making the
wiring changes for onward power.
From the switch
locations....
From the switch 1
location...
(both always on and switched power is available from
the switch 1 location)
(showing bellow the switch 1 portion of the circuit)
Option 1 -
Onward switched power...
Not shown in the diagram but the onward
cable also has a bare wire (equipment grounding conductor) that
also must be connected to all the other bare wires at the switch
electrical box.
Connection Instructions for
onward cable (switched)
(only the changes to the wiring are described here)
* a) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the white wire
of onward cable + the white wire coming from 'circuit power
supply cable' + the white wire coming from fixture + the white
wire coming from switch 2.
* b) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the black wire
of onward cable + the black wire coming from fixture + the black
wire connected to common screw of switch 1.
Identification of wires of
onward wire cable...
Black - switched ungrounded conductor (hot - switched).
White - grounded conductor (neutral).
************
Option 2 -
Onward 'always on' power...
Not shown in the diagram but the onward
cable also has a bare wire (equipment grounding conductor) that
also must be connected to all the other bare wires at the switch
electrical box.
Connection Instructions for
onward cable (always on)
(only the changes to the wiring are described here)
* a) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the white wire
of onward cable + the white wire coming from the 'circuit power
supply cable' + the white wire coming from fixture + the white
wire coming from switch 2.
* b) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the black wire
of onward cable + the black wire coming from 'circuit power
supply cable' + the black wire coming from switch 2 + the red
wire coming from fixture.
Identification of wires of
onward wire cable...
Black - ungrounded conductor (hot - always on).
White - grounded conductor (neutral).
***********
Option 3 -
Onward switched & 'always on' power...
Not shown in the diagram but the onward
cable also has a bare wire (equipment grounding conductor) that
also must be connected to all the other bare wires at the switch
electrical box.
Connection Instructions for
onward cable (always on & switched)
(only the changes to the wiring are described here)
* a) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the white wire
of onward cable + the white wire coming from the 'circuit power
supply cable' + the white wire coming from fixture + the white
wire coming from switch 2.
* b) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the red wire
of onward cable + the black wire coming from 'circuit power
supply cable' + black wire coming from switch 2 + red wire
coming from fixture.
* c) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the black wire
of onward cable + the black wire connected to the common screw
of switch 1 + the black wire coming from fixture.
Identification of wires of
onward wire cable...
Black - switched ungrounded conductor (hot - switched).
Red - ungrounded conductor (hot - always on)
White - grounded conductor (neutral).
**********
From the switch 2 location...
(only 'always on' power is available from the switch 2 location)
(showing bellow the switch 2 portion of the circuit)
Not shown in the diagram but the onward
cable also has a bare wire (equipment grounding conductor) that
also must be connected to all the other bare wires at the switch
electrical box.
Connection Instructions for
onward cable (always on)
(only the changes to the wiring are described here)
* a) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the white wire
of onward cable + the white wire coming from switch 1.
* b) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the black wire
of onward cable + the black wire connected to the common screw
of switch 2 + the black wire coming from switch 1.
Identification of wires of
onward wire cable...
Black - ungrounded conductor (hot - always on).
White - grounded conductor (neutral).
************
From the fixture location....
(both always on and switched power is available from the fixture
location)
(showing bellow the fixture portion of the circuit)
Option 1 -
Onward switched power...
Not shown in the diagram but the onward
cable also has a bare wire (equipment grounding conductor) that
also must be connected to all the other bare wires at the
fixture electrical box.
Connection Instructions for
onward cable (switched)
(only the changes to the wiring are described here)
* a) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the white wire
of onward cable + the white wire coming from switch 1 + the
grounded conductor (neutral) from fixture (shown as white in
diagram)
* b) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the black wire
of onward cable + the black wire from switch 1 + the switched
ungrounded conductor (hot) connected to light of fixture (shown
as black in diagram).
Identification of wires of
onward wire cable...
Black - switched ungrounded conductor (hot - switched).
White - grounded conductor (neutral).
***********
Option 2 -
Onward 'always on' power...
Not shown in the diagram but the onward
cable also has a bare wire (equipment grounding conductor) that
also must be connected to all the other bare wires at the
fixture electrical box.
Connection Instructions for
onward cable (always on)
(only the changes to the wiring are described here)
* a) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the white wire
of onward cable + the white wire coming from switch 1 + the
grounded conductor (neutral) from fixture (shown as white in
diagram).
* b) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the black wire
of onward cable + the red wire coming from switch 1 + the
ungrounded conductor (hot) of fan (shown as red in diagram)
Identification of wires of
onward wire cable...
Black - ungrounded conductor (hot - always on).
White - grounded conductor (neutral).
**********
Option 3 -
Onward switched & 'always on' power...
Not shown in the diagram but the
onward cable also has a bare wire (equipment grounding
conductor) that also must be connected to all the other
bare wires at the fixture electrical box.
Connection
Instructions for onward cable (always on and switched)
(only the changes to the wiring are described here)
* a) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the
white wire of onward cable + the white wire coming from
switch 1 + the grounded conductor (neutral) from fixture
(shown as white in diagram)
* b) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the
black wire of onward cable + the black wire coming from
switch 1 + the switched ungrounded conductor (hot)
connected to light of fixture (shown as black in
diagram).
* c) Using an insulated wire nut, attach / join - the
red wire of onward cable + the red wire coming from
switch 1 + the ungrounded conductor (hot) connected to
fan of fixture (shown as red in diagram).
Identification of
wires of onward wire cable...
Red - ungrounded conductor (hot - always on).
Black - switched ungrounded conductor (hot - controlled
from switch)
White - grounded conductor (neutral).
Foreign Users:
The colors of the wires
depicted are based on the standards and code
requirements / configuration in the United States and
Canada. If you are viewing this site from a foreign
country, your wiring standards and color of wires may be
different but the principal and sequence of wiring will
still remain the same. Therefore the information in this
article may still be of use to you regardless of what
country you may be in. Just translate the colors used
here to the color of wires used in your country in
regards to ungrounded (hot) conductors / grounded
conductors (neutral) and equipment grounding conductors
as well know applicable code requirements in your
country.
