6 Way Switch Diagram

[Caulki...@work.com]

Why anyone would need 6 switches to control one light seems rather
senseless, but it is possible, as well as 5 way and 4 way.
Looking at this diagram tells me that it is possible to go even higher,
and install 10 or even more switches by just adding more "4 way
switches" and more wire. In fact it seems unlimited as to how many
switches can be used.

Here is the diagram:
http://tinyurl.com/lytv8py

I've seen once a 4 way switch (controlled at 3 locations). 3 way is
common, but I've never seen anything more than 4 way. I just googled to
see if it was possible to add more switches and found out that it is
possible.

[bob haller]

far cheaper and easier to use some low voltage switches and a single latching relay......

could have a 100 or more cheap switches

[micky]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 18:43:33 -0600, Caulki...@work.com wrote:

>Why anyone would need 6 switches to control one light seems rather
>senseless, but it is possible, as well as 5 way and 4 way.
>Looking at this diagram tells me that it is possible to go even higher,
>and install 10 or even more switches by just adding more "4 way
>switches" and more wire. In fact it seems unlimited as to how many
>switches can be used.

That's right.

>Here is the diagram:
>http://tinyurl.com/lytv8py
>
>I've seen once a 4 way switch (controlled at 3 locations). 3 way is
>common, but I've never seen anything more than 4 way.

Probably not because once you have two 3-ways, all you need to do is
add more 4-ways to get as many switches as you want.

In some situations, it takes only a little more wire than a two 3-ways
would.

Three-way is really a misnomer of course. The switch has only two
positions, and the current will only go two ways (for any given
wiring), but it has three terminals and that's what I think they're
referring to.

[nestork]

You are correct. It is possible to put many four way switches between
two three way switches to be able to turn the same light on and off with
many+2 different switches.

Ordinary On-Off switches have two positions; one off and one on

Three way switches have two on positions in which a "common" screw
terminal is connected to one or the other of two screw terminals
depending on the 3 way switch toggle position.

Four way switches have two on positions as well. Look at the following
diagram:

http://tinyurl.com/cv9dbc5

With the 4 way switch toggle in one position, the 4 way switch connects
the two upper screw terminals together and the two lower screw terminals
together.

With the 4 way switch toggle in the other position, the 4 way switch
connects the bottom left screw terminal with the top right screw
terminal and the top left screw terminal with the bottom right screw
terminal. That is, since three way switches provide two paths to the
same light bulb, 4 way switches turn the bulb on and off by redirecting
power to the other path.

And, so you can put an unlimited number of 4 way switches in to turn the
same light bulb on and off with each and every switch.




--
nestork

[Caulki...@work.com]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 21:59:14 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

>Three-way is really a misnomer of course. The switch has only two
>positions, and the current will only go two ways (for any given
>wiring), but it has three terminals and that's what I think they're
>referring to.

I always wondered why they were called 3 way, too. There are only two
switches used. I thought the same as you, 3 screws means 3 way, and 4
screws means 4 way. Because using both it's become apparent that any
number of switches can be used, for example diagram i posted is for 6
actual switches.

[tra...@optonline.net]

I believe the naming convention goes back to the early part of
the century by the job description, billing, etc by electricians.
With a regular light you had two locations to wire, the light and
the switch. With an additional switch, you had 3 locations, so
two switched controlling one light = 3way.

[=]

"bob haller" <hal...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7bb9227d-ff7f-4b55...@googlegroups.com...

> far cheaper and easier to use some low voltage switches and a single
> latching relay......
>
> could have a 100 or more cheap switches

And with wireless switches, after you wire in the control relay (Lutron's
Maestro or Pico, for example), there's no additional wiring either. The
parts are not quite as cheap as a wired relay, perhaps; but switch locations
can be changed instantly and there are no wires to pull, boxes to mount,
drywall to patch or touch-up painting.

Tomsic

[Caulki...@work.com]

I'm not familiar with those wireless switches, but I have used some of
the Radio Shack ones in the past, and a person can even have a remote
controlled device included. While these may be more costly, one needs
to consider that a relay does consume some electricity. Although a
minute amount, it will cost something, so over time, there may be no
savings. Not to mention as you said, no wiring.

[bob]

There is another theoretical way to do this.

First, find or make a bulb that will toggle on and off simply by powering it
off momentarily and then on again. I don't know if anyone makes such a bulb
(or a bulb attached to a control circuit), but I have a porch motion sensor
light that can be put in an always-on mode by switching it off momentarily
and then back on.

Then wire 6 simple on-off switches in series to this bulb. Normally all the
switches would be ON. To turn on/off the bulb, flip any of the switches off
and then on quickly. If you can find momentary-off switches it would ensure
nobody would leave a switch in the off state, which makes it imposssible to
turn the bulb back on from other switches.

An alternative to the bulb toggling by momentarily flipping the switch, is
to make a bulb that would turn on if you turn off the power and then turn it
back on within 0.5 second, and would stay off if you turn off the power and
then turn it back on after 0.5 second. This has the advantage of being able
to turn the bulb on or off without knowing whether it is already on or off.

The complication of finding or making such a custom bulb is offset by the
simplicity of wiring it. If you extend this to a 100-way switch, the savings
in wires and labor is substantial.

[Red Green]

Caulki...@work.com wrote in news:nr6599pfai8aad61r1esqncsethslobb8o@
4ax.com:

Sure, I had 4 locations in the garage. Every one was totally practical and
convenient:

Between the two 7' garage doors going to the driveway.
At the back of the garage by the rear door (which is also top of stairs to
basement)
In the basement at the bottom of the stairs up to garage.
At the mud room door from house to garage.