A SIMPLE

PRESENTATION
ABOUT ELECTRICAL
LIGHTING
CONTROLS
PREPARED BY:
MR. BERNABE C. BONTILAO, RME
EYE OPENER ACTIVITY

 GUESSING A 4 PICTURES IN
ONE WORD
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
3-WAY SWITCH
Activity
Make a group of 5 members
and list down your
experiences relating to
switching “on” and “off” a
light bulb inside your
household dwellings.
Objectives.

At the end of the lesson, you are able

to:
 Explain SPDT or 3-way switch;
 Describe its operating principle;
 Wire two 3-way switches; and
 Appreciate the usefulness of 3-way
switches in building wiring
installation.
Three-Way Switches
 It is a lighting control that can turn
“OFF” or turn “ON” a lighting
fixture in two different locations.
 It is called a 3-way switch because
there are 3 conductors connecting
the switches.
Parts (terminals) of a 3-way switch

common

1
0
traveler

3
traveler
Operating Principle of 3-Way
Switches

 Togglingtwo 3-way switches

will cause a closed path to
open, or an open path to
close.
Closed path
Open path
Toggling Two 3-Way Switches

1st stage(“on” state)

L1

L2

When the contacts of both

switches are up, the
circuit is complete
2nd stage (“on”state)

L1

L2

When the contacts of both

switches are down, the
circuit is complete.
3rd stage (“off” state) 4rth stage (“off” state)

L1 L1

L2 L2

When one contact of the switch is

up and one is down, the current
reaches a dead end, no current
flows, and the bulb is off.
3-way switch application

L2
L1
 Steps in connecting two 3-way
switches

TR1 TR1 T1
T2
L1
C C
TR3 TR3

L2

1. Connect the common terminal of the

first 3-way switch to the power source
L1.
 Steps in connecting two 3-way
switches

TR1 TR1 T1
T2
L1
C C
TR3 TR3

L2

2. Connect the pair of travelers of the first 3-way

switch to the pair of travelers of the second 3-way
switch.
 Steps in connecting two 3-way
switches

TR1 TR1 T1
T2
L1
C C
TR3 TR3

L2

3. Connect the common wire of the second 3-way

switch to one of the terminals of the bulb.
 Steps in connecting two 3-way
switches

TR1 TR1 T1
T2
L1
C C
TR3 TR3

L2

4. Connect the second terminal of the bulb to the

source L2.
 THE END

THANK YOU FOR

LISTENING…
Summary
A three-way switch is a lighting control
that can turn “OFF” or turn “ON” a
lighting fixture in two different
locations.
 It is called a 3-way switch because
there are 3 conductors connecting the
switches.
 Parts (terminals) of a 3-way switch.
 Toggling two 3-way switches will cause
a closed path to open, or an open path
to close.
Short Quiz. In a ½ sheet of paper,
answer the following.

Describe briefly a 3-way switch.

How does a 3-way switch
operate?
Draw a typical circuit showing
the 4 possible states or stages of
a 3-way switch.
Assignment.

Write in a ½ sheet of paper.

1. What is a 4-way switch?
2. How 4-way switches operate?
Practice Task

Look for your partner and

perform the actual wiring of two
3-way switches using the
demonstrator to familiarize the
wiring connection.