How Do You Replace Three-Way Electrical Switches?
Three-way electrical switches control devices such as lights and ceiling fans. The switches are placed in various locations so the device can be turned on or off from two switching points. The three-way switch uses three screw terminals on the switch body. Each screw terminal will hold a wire that conducts electricity to either the second three-way switch or directly to the device itself. It is a good idea to replace both three-way switches if you encounter a problem. The internal circuitry can be difficult to trace, and replacing both switches is often easier than troubleshooting the circuit. Remove all electrical power from the lighting circuit that includes the three-way switches. Shut off the circuit breaker or pull the fuse that supplies power to the circuit. Observe the terminal screws on the three-way switch. Note there are two screw terminals at the top of the switch, and a single screw terminal at the bottom. The two top screws will be colored differently than the bottom singl
