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How To Wire A 4-Way Switch

A 4-way switch is used when you need more than two switching locations on a lighting circuit. You can add as many 4-way switches as you want in between two 3-way switches. Basically all you need to make it work is to have all your switch boxes tied together with 3-conductor romex.

Here is one way to wire it and there are many ways. You will, of course , need a power feed into one end of the 3-way. Then you would run a 3-conductor with ground from that 3-way to the first 4-way location. Then take another 3-conductor romex to the next 4-way and if there isn’t a next 4-way then you just take that 3-conductor to the other end of the 3-way. In this 3-way box you will need a 2-conductor switch leg up to your light fixture and that is all the wiring you will need to make it happen.

At one end you have a black and white power feed and a black, white, and red 3-conductor. The black power feed hooks to the common lug on the 3-way switch. The two whites tie together with a wire nut and push back in the box. The remaining black and red in the 3-conductor will tie to the two remaining traveler lugs on the 3-way switch.

The other end 3-way wires the same way except the black from the 2-conductor will still tie to the common lug on the 3-way switch but it will be going to the light fixture instead of being a hot feed like the other end did. The two whites tie together and the remaining black and red go to the traveler lugs on the 3-way switch.

Now for the 4-way switch in the middle you will have two 3-conductor cables. One from each end on the 3-way switches. The two whites will again tie together with a wire nut and push back in the box. On the 4-way switch you will notice 4 lugs plus the green grounding screw. The two top lugs will be a different color than the two bottom lugs on the switch. Just make sure that the black and the red from the same romex ties to the same two colored lugs on the top of the switch and the other black and red from the same romex ties to the two same colored lugs on the bottom of the 4-way switch. That should give you two reds on one side and two blacks on the other side of the switch.

The 4-way switch makes contact in either a vertical pattern or a crossing pattern like an X. So depending on which way the switch is flipped, it would make contact like this ll or like this X. See the wiring diagram below for a visual of how a 4-way works.

4 Way Switch Wiring Diagram

How To Wire A GFCI Receptacle

GFCI receptacles are required in kitchens, bathrooms, and any outdoor power locations and they are designed to keep you safe from electrical shocks. The GFI comes in either a receptacle or a breaker.

Depending on your particular power situation when installing a GFCI receptacle you may have one or more NM cables or romex in the outlet box. The power in to the box and the power leaving it going to the next outlet down the line. You will notice on the back of the GFCI receptacle the words Line and Load.

The Line is the power in and the Load is the power leaving. You will need to check the wires with a voltage tester or meter to determine which one is “hot”. To do this just set your voltage meter to AC 600 volts and touch one lead to the black wire and touch the other lead to the white wire in the outlet box. The pair that reads 120 volts will go to the Line side of the GFCI receptacle. After you determine which romex is the power in or the Line, then turn the breaker off to the circuit before continuing.

The black wire will hook to the brass colored screw and the white will hook to the silver colored screw. The bare ground will hook to the green colored screw on the outlet. If you have a second romex in the box and you want the outlet that it feeds to be GFI protected also then that romex will tie to the Load side of the GFCI receptacle. If you do not want that outlet to be under GFI protection then you would also tie it to the Line side along with the other romex.

Tighten the connections on the GFCI receptacle and attach it to the outlet box with the two 6/32 screws and install the outlet cover. Turn the power to the circuit back on and check for the proper voltage.

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Did You Know?

This page has some important information for you along with helpful hints, tips, and tricks of the trade on a variety of things.

Did You Know:

That bathroom exhaust fans are not designed to run continuously? The motors in these fans are not rated for continuous duty and should not be left running for long periods of time.

That you can use uncooked spaghetti in place of matches? It works great for lighting pilot lights and anywhere that you need a long match.

That you can store your candles in the freezer and they will burn longer and drip less?

That you can sprinkle talcum powder on a hardwood floor to get rid of the squeaks? Just sprinkle some right on the squeaky area and sweep it into the cracks.

That you can get rid of water stains on sheetrock by mixing a 50/50 ratio of Clorox and water in a spray bottle and lightly spray the stains a few times until the stain is gone? Don't soak it, instead just spray lightly and let dry between applications.

That you can find lost contact lenses by simply making the room completely dark and search the room with a flashlight? The lens will glow.

That you can put a little kerosene on your hand saw blade for lubrication to make hard cutting quite easy?

That you can push or drive your screws into a bar of soap first to make them drive into wood with ease?

That if you need to lock a screw in to keep it from backing back out just put some nail polish on it first before driving it in there?

That you can put charcoal or chalk in your toolbox to keep the moisture out and the rust away?

That you can use a clothes pin to hold those nails while you hammer them in there? This saves you from hitting the wrong nail, your fingernail?

That it is much cheaper and easier to purchase and mount fire extinguishers in your house, garage, and workshop than it is to rebuild them after a fire. Please don't skimp on this and just do it? :+)

That you can hang a piece of plywood on your shop wall and drive some nails scattered around on it then hang your tools on the nails then draw around your tools with a pencil? You and everyone else will know what tool goes back there and if it doesn't make it back on the tool board then you will notice that it is missing with a quick look at the board.

That you can make a great hand cleaner by mixing some margarine and sugar together? Then wash with regular soap to remove the mixture. This works great on removing dirt and oil from the hands.

That you can use Coke on those nasty oil stains on your driveway? Just pour it right on the concrete and give it a minute to work, then hose it off.

That you can rub ordinary table salt into your hands to remove onion smells?

That you can fill nail holes in sheetrock with toothpaste?

That you can drive those pesky ants away by mixing equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray the area or the ant hill?

That you can use hair spray to drop those pesky flying insects like wasps or a fly? Just grab your hair spray, take aim and fire.

That you can mix up some dishwashing liquid and water in a spray bottle and spray those pesky wasps to bring them down fast?

That when your telephone rings those little wires that are hooked into the phone jack becomes energized with over 90 volts and can give you quite a jolt if you touch them?

That you can sharpen a pair of scissors simply by cutting a piece of sandpaper a few times with them?

More Coming Soon!

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Wet Basement? Here Is How To Fix It.

How To Troubleshoot 3-Way Switches

Let's look at how to troubleshoot and repair your 3 way switch problems. A 3-way switch that is wired wrong can not work right. 3-way switches allow you to operate one or more light fixtures from two different switching locations. A stairway is a good example of the need for a 3-way switching situation. You turn the light on from the top switch and then you go down the steps and turn the light back off at the bottom of the steps. The most common problems on 3-way switches are the ability to turn the light on from one end but not let you turn it back off from the other end. Sometimes it will let you turn it back off but then you can't turn it on again from the other end. This is due to the common wire not being hooked to the common lug on the switch.

A typical 3-way switching setup.

Let's first examine how a 3-way switch works so you can better understand how to troubleshoot and repair the problem. There are 3 lugs on a 3-way switch, One is the common and the other two are the traveler lugs. Depending on which way the switch is flipped, the common lugs makes contact with either one of the traveler lugs.

Let's call the common lug A, the first traveler lug B and the second traveler lug C. When the 3-way switch is flipped up the common A makes contact with traveler B. If it is flipped down then common A makes contact with traveler C. The hot wire on the circuit is tied to the common lug on one of the 3-way switches and the load, or the light wire, is tied to the other common on the other 3-way switch. Each one of the traveler wires run between the two switches and directly connect each corresponding traveler lug to it's mate on the other end.

Depending on which way the switch is flipped, it lets the hot wire that is matched up with one of the travelers from that one end send the hot to the other end on that traveler and it either matches up on the other end with the traveler that is making contact with the light wire through the other common or it matches up with the other traveler that is not making contact with the other common. If it does match with the light common it turns the light on and if not it turns the light off. Now if you are not totally confused now, we will look at how to fix this problem.

First you have to locate the constant hot wire on one of the switches and make sure that it is tied to the common lug on that switch. The common lug on a 3-way switch will not have a lug directly across from it on the other side of the switch and it will usually be a different colored screw. There are two lugs on one side and one lug on the other side. The common will be one of the two lugs on the same side with each other. It will not have a lug across from it. Once you have made sure that the hot is on the common then go to the other end and look for the two traveler wires. They will be in the same romex together.

Then you should have a separate black wire that is coming from a different romex than the two traveler wires. That black will be your common going to the light and should tie to the common lug on that end switch. Now depending on how this particular 3-way was wired, it is possible that you would only have one 3 conductor romex in each switch box. There would be a black, a white, and a red with a bare ground wire. Which ever colors on the other end were the travelers should be the same on this end for the travelers so that leaves the other color as being the common on this end. If you have both commons on the right lugs at the switches the 3-way will work right. That is unless you have a bad switch. You can check the switch with a mulimeter by checking for voltage or by taking the wires off the switch and checking with continuity.

If checking for voltage put one meter lead on the ground wire or the white neutral if you have one in the box and touch the other meter lead first to the common lug on the switch and then to each traveler lug. If you have voltage at the common then you should have it on one of the traveler lug also. Flip the switch and check both traveler lugs. If you have no voltage on the traveler then the switch is bad. Be sure and turn the power to the circuit you are working with off unless you are checking for power. Once you have finished with that check turn the power back off until you need it again or have finished making the repairs and have put the switches back in the boxes and installed the cover plates.

Electricity is a dangerous thing and you must respect it or it can seriously injure or even kill you under the right circumstances.

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How To Dispose Of Fluorescent Bulbs

Fluorescent bulbs in 4′ and 8′ lengths can be difficult to handle and dispose of properly. But there is a device that is simple to make and works great for disposing of fluorescent bulbs or tubes..

You will need a 10′ stick of 1 1/2″ conduit. There are several different types of conduit you can use for this. I will list them below and tell a little about each type.

Types Of Conduit:

1. PVC Schedule 40- This type is the lightest to work with but it is also the most fragile and can break rather easily when disposing of the tubes. This type will require a T/A or terminal adapter glued on each end.

2. EMT- Electrical Metallic Tubing- This type of conduit works pretty well for this project. It is stronger than PVC but a little heavier. This type will require a steel set screw connector on each end.

3. IMC- Intermediate Metal Conduit is heavier than PVC and EMT and is also much stronger than both. This type is ideal for this project. All you would need for this are 2 -1 1/2″ caps for the ends as IMC is threaded on both ends. Rigid is another type that will work well for this.

You can shorten the pipe down to 5 or 6 ‘ if you wanted to make one just for disposing of 48″ bulbs. Really all you need to do is screw a pipe cap on each end of the pipe and when you are ready to dispose of a fluorescent bulb just unscrew the cap on one end and slide the bulb down into the pipe and screw the cap back on the pipe. Now just hold the pipe vertically with one end sitting on the ground. Hold the pipe with both hands and quickly raise the pipe off the ground about a foot or so and then slam it down on the one end letting the pipe cap hit the ground hard and the fluorescent bulb will break inside the pipe and contain it.

Then you can get some type of large heavy duty zip lock bag and then remove the cap and pour the contents right into the zip lock bag and seal it shut and throw it in the trash. I would advise doing this outside to avoid a mess inside the building.

Galvanized Pipe Cap

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How To Wire A 4-Way Switch

How To Wire A GFCI Receptacle

Did You Know?

Did You Know:

How To Troubleshoot 3-Way Switches

How To Dispose Of Fluorescent Bulbs

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