A 3-way circuit is an electrical circuit that consists of two 3-way switches linked together to work a light or receptacle, so that you can turn it on and off from two different points.

Wiring a 3-way circuit

Materials List (as much as needed):

  • 14/2 wire
  • 14/3 wire
  • light fixtures
  • 3-way switches

First, you must take a piece of the 14/2 wire and run it from the feed (power source) to the first 3-way switch. Holding the switch in your hand, make sure it is face up, and the 2 screws that are across from each other are facing the top of the box, and the single screw is facing the bottom of the box you are putting it in. Strip the wire so that 6” of it is sticking out of the box. DO NOT STRIP THE WIRE SO THAT THE UNPROTECED WIRE IS STICKING OUT THE BACK OF THE BOX.

Next, strip the black and white wire so that about 1” of the bare wire is exposed. Connect the black wire to the single bottom screw. Make sure to loop the wire in the direction that the screw turns.

Now take a piece of the 14/3 wire and run that from the first box to the second. Strip the wire the same way as before. Connect the black wire to the screw that is on the same side as the other black screw, connect the red wire to the screw that is across from the top black wire. Use a wire nut to connect the two white wires together. Run the 14/3 to the other box and connect the black and red wires the same as the other switch. Take a piece of 14/2 and run that from the second switch to the light. Strip the wire the same as before. Connect the black wire to the bottom screw on the right for the switch. Wire nut the two white wires. For the light, connect the black wire to the brass screw and the white to the silver screw. In the boxes you should connect the two bare copper wires together using a crimp sleeve, push the crimp sleeve down as far as it will go and crimp it tightly.

Cut the shorter of the two copper wires and connect the longer one to the green screw. (This is to make sure the switches are grounded.)