- Single Pole: This setup involves one switch controlling a light or set of lights. The switch will have two screw terminals: one for the live (hot) wire that brings power to the switch and another for the wire that carries power to the light(s). There’s usually also a ground screw.
- 3-Way: A 3-Way setup has two switches controlling one light. Each switch has three terminals: one common (usually a different color) and two traveler terminals that are connected via traveler wires. This allows the light to be turned on or off from either switch.
- 4-Way: For a 4-Way setup, there are three or more switches controlling one light. The 4-Way switch itself has four terminals (in addition to the ground): two for the incoming traveler wires from one 3-Way switch and two sending traveler wires to the other 3-Way switch.
Identifying 3-way switch type
- Power to Switch First: Here, the power comes into the first switch box, then runs to the light fixture, and finally to the second switch. This is typical when the power source is closer to the location of one of the switches.
- Power to Light Fixture First: In this arrangement, the power source comes into the light fixture box first and then runs to the switches. This is a common setup when the power source is located near the light fixture in the ceiling.
- Light Fixture at the End: In this configuration, the power source runs from switch to switch before going to the light. This is often found in setups where the light fixture is not between the switches but rather at the end of the circuit.