this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024
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Help connecting this three-way light switch (self.electricians)
submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by m4m4m4m4 to c/electricians
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Hello, and with the disclaimer that I'm no electrician whatsoever,

I had this three-way light switch in my room, which only controlled one light - and its pilot lit when the light was set off. Unfortunately I had to break the wall it was onto because the neighbor had water issues. Left the switch connected to the wires as I thought it wasn't necessary to unplug it, but the person that fixed the wall unplugged it nevertheless.

The thing is I can't remember how it was plugged. I can plug hot and ground (at 0 and 1, or 0 and 3) so I can turn on/off the light, but the pilot won't work in any case.

Here's a picture of the back of the switch, the numbers at each connector and the little diagram (tried to recreate it at the right side) that is engraved there. Not even sure why it's 0, 1 and 3 but no 0, 1 and 2 - nor what the little "m" means:

So how can I connect this so the pilot works as before (it's lit when the light is turned off?) I'd really appreciate any help about this from any electron wizard around here.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Edit: not that kind of three way switch, skip to the comment below with the links with diagrams

Three-way switches flips which of the two output ports are connected to the common port.

If the live wire goes to 0, then you put the light to either of 1 or 3 and the pilot light on the other of those two.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-wire-a-threeway-switch/?srsltid=AfmBOor_yTPlE0I4OguD6B2j3ngDaWVSZ9tW-hAHJcEreBXkib1Iog1C

[–] m4m4m4m4 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Thank you, I just tried that configuration again - live wire on 0 and 3, and light on 1 - (and viceversa, live on 0 and 1 and light on 3 - wires are really hard to get out of this switches!) but no dice, the pilot won't ever turn on. Even tried with the other switch from the same socket but still it won't work. I'm just giving up. Thank you regardless

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Is the pilot supposed to be always on, or just when the light is off (I assume the latter)?

Are both 0 and 1 always live simultaneously? In that case it wouldn't be a 3 way switch. I'm not finding info on that annotation, very hard to search, what country / state are you in?

I kinda suspect pilot should be on the right 0 and light on 3 (guess that m signifies it measures current somehow), unless m actually signifies a separate terminal to use for the pilot

[–] m4m4m4m4 1 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Yes, the pilot was on only when the light was off.

Not sure if I'm understanding correctly what does it mean that if 0 and 1 are always live simultaneously, but leaving plugged 0 to the live wire and testing at 1 with a live wire tester won't lit it - I left the live wire plugged to 0 and the light wire to 1 and the switch works, i.e. I can turn the light on and off, but the pilot won't work in either case (nor when the light is on nor when it is off).

I'm in Colombia, this is the switch as they sell it here (they changed the middle switch in it to an empty plate to use it in another house and left me with the other two)

Can't find any clue about what the little m means, but in the diagram it's placed next to an interrupted connection between 0 an 3 (not like between 0 and 1, where the line is continuous) so maybe you're right and 3 would be for the pilot. Still I won't know why it won't work

Thank you, I appreciate your help

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Do you have another identical switch that's wired and working? Try taking a picture of that wiring in that case

The actual switch piece doesn't seem to have distinguishable branding, I was trying to find an instruction manual

Also check if the lever on the switch can be detached to see if you can look at the pilot light source and any visible connections

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I think I know what's going on now! Neutral coming back from the light needs to be patched in via terminal 3

See diagrams below

https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/92802/pilot-light-on-switch-comes-on-when-light-is-off

The m probably represents "measure", "detect", or something equivalent

[–] m4m4m4m4 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You're a genius! That was it.

I owe you a beer. Thank you so much.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Do you think Colombian beer would make it past Swedish customs? :)

[–] m4m4m4m4 2 points 1 month ago

Not sure, we as a country bear that horrible but deserved reputation of having "creative" ways to export (illegal) substances... -__-

But if you ever come here there will be a beer, or at least good coffee

[–] Smokeydope 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

AC house wiring switches can be a bitch I hope you figured it out. God help you if your light is controlled by two seperate switches. I'm so glad I built up my DC electrical system from scratch its so easy to run two wires with power flowing in a relatively straight simple way.

[–] m4m4m4m4 1 points 1 month ago

Thank you, @[email protected] helped me figuring out how to do it - and yes, definitely those aren't tasks for noobs like me. But at least I got to learn something new