To make sure there s no room for doubt you can use a. Then connect the 2 switches by splitting the 3 wire cable apart and attaching each of the 3 wires to one of the other 3 screws on each switch.
A 3 way switch allows you to turn a light on or off from two different switches.
Wiring a 3 way switch to a light.
Finally run the last 2 wire cable from the second switch s black screw to the light. Basic 3 way switch diagram how to wire 3 way light switch step by step. Add an electrical box for the second 3 way switch in the basement. Either way complete these five steps for 3 way light switch wiring. Be sure to identify the electrical circuit correctly you ll be wiring into and turn off the breaker at your home s main electrical panel. The first step in any electrical project is to make sure there is no power going to the circuit you plan to be working on.
First run a 2 wire cable from the wall power to the black screw on 1 of the switches. 3 way switches are useful for large rooms with multiple entrances but require a bit more wiring than a standard single pole switch. The wiring method will depend on whether your power goes to the switch first or the light first. To wire a 3 way light switch you ll need 2 3 way light switches 2 2 wire non metallic cables 1 3 wire non metallic cable and 2 6 inch grounding wires. Turn the power off at circuit breaker. Turn off the correct circuit at your electrical panel.
It s likely you ll also need to replace the existing switch box with a larger one to accommodate the extra wires for the 3 way switch.