Two of these take traveler wires that go from one switch to the other. They are wired so either switch can work the light, regardless of the setting of the other.Ī 3-way switch is larger than a single pole switch and has three screw terminals for wiring connections, plus a ground. These are used in pairs, with one at each switching location. In some applications however, such as hallways and larger rooms, having a single switch can be inconvenient, so it might be useful to control the light from two locations, and this is the role of the 3-way switch. There's also a ground wire to protect against electrical faults. It's called a single pole switch because there are two wires connected or separated by the switch mechanism. 3-wayĪ single pole switch is used to control the light in a small closet or bathroom. ![]() It's important to pick the right type of switch for the application. Switches are used to operate lights, fans, and even large electric motors, but they're not all the same. Server racks, enclosures & airflow management.Safety, security & emergency communications.Process safety, automation, test and measurement.Medium-voltage power distribution & control systems.Low-voltage power distribution & control systems.Industrial controls, drives, automation and sensors.Backup power, UPS, surge & IT power distribution.Note - the Neutral is not connected to the actual switch, the two Neutrals are connected together using a connector block. One '2-Core + Earth' cable takes Live and Neutral to the switch back box, a second cable takes the Neutral and Switched Live to the light. The 3-wire system is less common than the 2-wire system, it includes a Neutral at the switch as well as the Live and Switched Live wires.įigure 2: One example of a 3-wire lighting System.Īn example of a 3-wire lighting circuit is shown in Figure 2. If you have a 2-gang or 3-gang switch you may have black and grey wires, however these will have a brown sleeve on them as they are also switched live wires. ![]() Note - the switched live has a brown sleeve on it, this highlights that the wire is actually a live wire, even though it is blue, this ensure that it is not confused with a neutral wire. Switched Live is only live when the switch is on (this is where it gets its name from). The blue wire is known as the Switched Live and takes power to the light. The brown wire is Live (also know as permanent live), this brings the live supply to the switch. ![]() But for the sake of simplicity we ignore the Earth wire when explaining wiring as it plays no active role in the day-to-day workings of your light circuits.Ī 2-wire system includes two wires - Live and Switched Live.įigure 1: A standard 2-wire lighting System.Ī standard 2-wire lighting circuit is shown in Figure 1. The Earth is a very important part of the electrical system and all switches, appliances and lights must be correctly earthed. However, the third wire, which typically has a green/yellow sleeve is the Earth wire. The term is slightly confusing as the system will actually include three wires. This is the most common lighting system in Europe, almost all homes use this system, especially in the UK and Nordic regions. The simple explanation is that a 2-wire system does not include a Neutral wire at the light switch, the 3-wire system does include the Neutral at the switch. This application note explains the difference between 2-wire and 3-wire lighting systems and helps you understand which version you have in your installation.įirstly, what do we mean by 2-wire and 3-wire systems. This is an important point as many products, such as relays, cannot work if installed into a 2-wire system. You'll often see us refer to 2-wire and 3-wire lighting systems.
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