Complex intermediate switch question

JosephandAmber · Tuesday at 6:24 PM

I want three switches to control a light. All three switches are intermediate and so have four avaliable terminals. Switch 1, switch 2 and switch 3.

Switch 1 has the incoming live.
Switch 2 has the load (and is the true intermediate)
Switch 3 is a standard switch.

Can anyone advise on whether the below would work?

[ElectriciansForums.net] Complex intermediate switch question

DefyG · Tuesday at 7:40 PM

Why complicate things and not change two of the intermediates for standard 2 way switch plates.
No it wont work.
It can be done using intermediate switches but you need to treat switch one and three as a standard 2way.

JosephandAmber · 2024-11-13T13:40:10+0000

DefyG said:
Why complicate things and not change two of the intermediates for standard 2 way switch plates.
No it wont work.
It can be done using intermediate switches but you need to treat switch one and three as a standard 2way.

The reason is that they are very expensive switches that were purchased by clients. Given that intermediate switches have the exact same functionality as two-way switches, only with a spare terminal I don’t personally see the problem?

PS Electrics · 2024-11-13T14:10:49+0000

JosephandAmber said:
The reason is that they are very expensive switches that were purchased by clients. Given that intermediate switches have the exact same functionality as two-way switches, only with a spare terminal I don’t personally see the problem?

He said it can be done and I agree the two end switches will be wired as two-way switches.

It is your wiring I am having difficulty following. Is this an attempt to create 2 way and intermediate switching from existing wiring that didn't previously have it? Is one of the legs new? How come you have all four terminals used at Switch 1 for instance?

If so is there a reason you cannot run new cabling so it is standard? Doing it this way will be a nightmare for any future fault finding! The reason I suspect this is the case is that the switch line is at the intermediate switch.

Is there a way for you to sketch this out on a bit of paper and then scan it or take a picture? It will make it a bit easier to see what exactly is going on.

DefyG · 2024-11-13T14:28:29+0000

JosephandAmber said:
Given that intermediate switches have the exact same functionality as two-way switches, only with a spare terminal I don’t personally see the problem?

They dont have the exact same functionality as two way switches because if they did a 2way switch you could argue could be used as an intermediate switch which of course it cant.
An intermediate switch can be used as a 2 way but your drawing wont work as you show amongst other things all 4 terminations in switch one connected which of course cant happen if its a 2way switch that only has 3 terminals.

Complex intermediate switch question

JosephandAmber

DefyG

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JosephandAmber

PS Electrics

DefyG

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