Three Switches Control a Single Light Fixture

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Rorschach Guru Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spring, Texas Posts: 3403 Good Answers: 150	Three Switches Control a Single Light Fixture 08/09/2010 3:22 PM
	Ladies and gents, I'm puzzled over some rather ingenious wiring that has been done in my house and I'd like to know how it was done without ripping up my walls and ceilings. I'm hoping someone around here knows the trick that was used. I have a single sconce light fixture on my outside load bearing wall just below a cathedral ceiling (reason why I don't want to tear things apart to trace wires.). I have three switches that can turn the light on or off regardless of the positions of the other two. Now wiring TWO switches to do this is pretty simple and I get that, but the third switch is throwing me for a loop. I DON'T think there are any relays buried in the walls, I've looked around enough in the attic to know that if there are relays they are hidden somewhere where I can't find them. Anyone have any ideas on how this might be done? __________________ Who is John Galt?
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lyn Guru Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 42355 Good Answers: 1693	#1 Re: Three switches control a single light fixture 08/09/2010 3:26 PM
	4 way light switch. Done all the time. Google 4 way switch. Cheers.
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Rorschach Guru Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spring, Texas Posts: 3403 Good Answers: 150	#3 In reply to #1 Re: Three switches control a single light fixture 08/09/2010 3:49 PM
	Bingo! THANKS Lynlynch. That was EXACTLY what was throwing me. There have been some really strange wiring done in this house (including a previous owner using an uninsulated ground wire as a secondary neutral return for a ceiling fan retrofit) that I've had to clean up since I've owned the place. I was concerned that they had done something similar here. Glad to see that does not appear to be the case. __________________ Who is John Galt?
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Doorman Guru Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Yellowstone Valley, in Big Sky Country Posts: 7425 Good Answers: 295	#2 Re: Three switches control a single light fixture 08/09/2010 3:31 PM
	Lynlynch is correct. Here is a Wiki article that is pretty easy to read. __________________ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi
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Tornado Guru Join Date: May 2009 Location: Richland, WA, USA Posts: 21017 Good Answers: 795	#4 Re: Three switches control a single light fixture 08/09/2010 5:00 PM
	A standard 3-way switch is just a SPDT switch. Between the two SPDT switches, you can daisy-chain as many 4-way (DPDT) switches as you like, and each switch will then be capable of controlling the light independently. __________________ In vino veritas; in cervisia carmen; in aqua E. coli.
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Doorman (1); lyn (1); Rorschach (1); Tornado (1)

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