One of the black wires is probably the feed from the breaker box. One is probably a feed to the receptacles. The third one would go to the light. The receptacle wire should be connected to the feed wire along with one terminal of the switch.

Why does my switch have 3 wires?

A 3-wire NM connects the traveler terminals of the first and second 3-way switch together. Traveler wires are interchangeable on each switch. The common terminal of the second 3-way switch connects to the light fixture(s). The white neutral wires are connected together in each switch box.

How do you wire a 3 wire light switch?






Quote from Youtube video: We run another neutral wire and run this from the wire connector through the ceiling box and connect it into the light fitting. Then we run a third white wire from the other light fitting terminal.

Why does my light switch have three neutral wires?

The three cables are



It’s not a player in any capacity, electrically, until there is current leakage, in which case it provides a safety shield. The hot-neutral supply is wired the same as an isolated system, with no concept of “chassis ground” like you might find in a car.

What is the black wire in a light switch?

hot

The black wire is the “hot” wire, it carries the electricity from the breaker panel into the switch or light source. The white wire is the “neutral” wire, it takes any unused electricity and current and sends it back to the breaker panel.

What happens if you wire a 3-way switch wrong?





Usually when a 3-way switch fails, lights can be toggled on and off at one switch, but not the other. If one of the two 3-way switches toggles the light(s) on and off, the other 3-way switch has probably failed.

What color is common wire in 3-way switch?

Two of the terminals are a light color—bronze- or copper-colored—and are called travelers. The single dark-colored screw is known as the common terminal. The ground screw is usually green.

Which wire is the common wire on a 3-way switch?

Black wire

Black wire: This is a hot wire that carries electricity from the power source to the first switch in a typical 3-way setup. It’s also called the “common wire” or the “line wire.” Unless the breaker is off, this black wire is always hot.

How does a 3 wire switch work?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: These two conductors are known as travelers. If the switch is in the correct. Position then powers feed through this conductor will feed through the second 3-way and energize.

What is a 3-way switch used for?

A 3-way switch is one that allows you to control a ceiling light (or other electrical fixture) from two separate locations. Common scenarios would be 3-way switches located at both the top and bottom of a stairway, or having 3-way switches next to doors in a room with two entry points.

Does black wire go on top or bottom of switch?

bottom terminal



Hook the black wire to the bottom terminal on the switch. Hook the white wire to the top terminal on the switch. Push the switch into the box and secure it with screws at the top and bottom. Turn on the power and test the switch.

Is black wire positive or negative?

The coloring is as follows: Positive – The wire for the positive current is red. Negative – The wire for the negative current is black. Ground – The ground wire (if present) will be white or grey.

Does black wire go to gold or silver?

2) Spread wires out to correct position. White (neutral) goes on the side allocated for the larger prong. Black (Hot) goes on the smaller prong side or white to silver screws, black to gold screws.

What color screw does the black wire go to?

brass screw



The black wire goes to either the brass screw or the hole in the back of the device. Sometimes this wire is red. The green or bare copper wire can be attached to the green screw terminal on the switch or to the electrical box.

What happens if you wire a light switch wrong?

If you damage the wires during installation, you could break the switch, or the wires could come loose. Loose wires present a danger when changing the light switch. Thirdly, you could create a short circuit in the switch. A short circuit can cause the breaker or fuse to pop.

What color screw does the black wire connect to?

The black (hot) wire goes to the brass screw or into the hole in the back of the device on the same side as the brass screw. This wire is sometimes red. The green or bare copper (ground) wire, if the device has one, attaches to the green screw terminal on the switch or to the electrical box.

What wire goes to the black screw on a switch?

The black wire goes up to the light through the yellow cable. The green ground screw on the switch is used to connect the two grounds. The black screw can get either the wire from the electrical panel or the wire going to the light.

How do you wire a 3 wire plug?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: If it's easier for you and your plug allows it you can just remove the prong and wire it like. This. Please note that the screw must fasten onto the copper the screw must not fasten onto the jacket.

Does the black wire go to the brass screw?

A black or red-hot wire usually connects to a brass-colored screw terminal or black wire lead on electrical devices. A white neutral wire usually connects to a silver-colored terminal or white wire lead.

What color wires go together?

The protective ground is green or green with yellow stripe. The neutral is white, the hot (live or active) single phase wires are black , and red in the case of a second active.



US AC power circuit wiring color codes.

Function Line, 3-phase
label L3
Color, common blue
Color, alternative yellow

What color wire goes to the black screw on a 4 way switch?

The white wire from the power source will attach to the light’s white wire. The light’s black wire should be attached to the black wire running to the first switch. At the switch the white wire (hot) coming from the light, will be connected to the dark colored screw.