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Testimonials

Great help on a 3-Way wiring diagram from your website.  Much appreciated, as I have had the same 3 Way switch, non-operational, for over 5 years.. arghhh...I know it is a simple thing yet looking at both sets of wires and trying to imagine the wire runs was a bit aggravating but you made it simpler!

Kudos
Brian, Winnipeg
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Awesome. Thanx Terry. Cool site and extremely informative.

Johnny
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Thank you for the info on the three way switch you saved the day.

EDDIE B.  in MIssissippi
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Thank-you for your free video, it helped.

Bob
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What a great explanation!!  You have been so helpful.  Thanks so much.  I will hunt down that timer and give it a go.

Ken
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Your website is great.  I have it bookmarked and now visit frequently.  I have no previous electrical experience and your website helped me redo some wiring correctly and way easier than I thought it would be.

Thanks again.

Nicholas V
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Hi Terry,

I stumbled onto your website while doing a Google search for an electrical panel that's being installed in my new home that's currently being built.

Even though I've been doing my own electrical work for many years (I am not a contractor), I found your site to be a  valuable resource of information for all things electrical. Your site is much appreciated. Thank you.

 
Regards,
Mike A
Toronto, Canada

 

 

Do-It-Yourself Repairs & Basic Wiring Projects:
3-Way Switch Wiring - How Do I ....
Wire a 3-Way Switch to Control a Light PLUS Keep a Duplex Receptacle Hot

By Terry Peterman, the Internet Electrician

Summary:  This is a question from a site visitor who was wanting to know how to wire a specific 3-way configuration.  The twist comes with the addition of a new duplex receptacle which he wanted to keep 'hot' all of the time, while still controlling a light with the 3-way switch.  This article describes the possibilities of this scenario and the steps to take.

Q:   How do you wire a new duplex receptacle from a 3-way switch so that the new receptacle is always hot and the 3-way switch continues to only control the light fixture?


A:  You may not be able to accomplish this, depending on how this 3-way circuit is wired.  

The only way this will work properly is if the power source for this 3-way network enters this box first. 

If not, you might have switched 'hot' conductors only, or if you do have a neutral, any of the hot conductors that you attempt to splice in to will not be hot all the time (it will depend on the switch positions). 

You need to determine how the circuit is wired.  If the power source does enter this box, then you could add a receptacle providing the box is large enough (deep box) to accommodate these additional wires because a normal sized metal switch box can only have 5 wires in it, and you will add two making a total of seven. 

Here is a diagram of how this receptacle could be added in the proper circumstance.

 


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