
On a standard switch, the switch simply allows or disallows power to flow from one wire to the other. What do all the different wires do on a 3-way switch? This four-way switch has a combination of red and black wires for the incoming connections and a combination of red and black wires for the outgoing connections in addition to a copper ground wire. This three-way switch has one black common wire, one black traveler wire, one red traveler wire and one copper ground wire. This standard switch has two wires that carry power (line and load) and one copper ground wire. If there are no screw terminals on your switch, there may be four push-in connectors on the back of the switch housing, two of which should be labeled "input" and two of which should be labeled "output." This wiring scenario is complex and HS210 has not been tested to work with this configuration.įour-way switches often have four screw terminals on the housing, two of which will be labeled "input" and two of which will be labeled "output." There may also be a separate green ground screw attached to the mounting flange of the switch (the ground wire may or may not be connected). A four-way switch configuration is composed of two three way switches, one on each "end" of the switching circuit and a special four-way switch in-between the two three-way switches. This configuration is uncommon but can be found in larger homes or rooms with configurations that allow entry from more than two locations. In this situation, you can turn the light on and off from any of the switches.
Smart switch wiring diagram series#
With a four-way switch, a total of three or more switches control a light or series of lights. If there are no screw terminals on your switch, there may be three push-in connectors on the back of the switch housing, one of which should be labeled "common." The labeling on the back of a switch may be difficult without cleaning it off and using a flashlight. Three-way switches typically have three screw terminals on the housing, one of which will be a different color or marked "common." There may also be a separate green ground screw attached to the mounting flange of the switch (the ground wire may or may not be connected). While it is difficult to know exactly how your home was wired when it was originally built, there are several things you can look for to see if your switch scenario is compatible with HS210. There are multiple wiring configurations for three-way switches and not all are compatible with HS210. Some three-way switches may not even be located in the same room, but they may still serve to control a light in a common space (a switch may be located in both a garage and kitchen if it controls a patio light accessible from both locations). This switch configuration is often found in hallways, stairways or rooms where you have multiple entry points. In this configuration, you can turn the light on and off from either location. With a three-way switch, two separate light switches control a light or series of lights.
Smart switch wiring diagram upgrade#
You can still upgrade this configuration with HS200 Smart Switch, but you will need to wire-nut the bundle of load wires together as HS200 only has one load lead. If no other light switches control these lights, you likely have a standard switch that is being used as a junction for multiple load wires. In situations where one switch controls multiple light fixtures (like in a bathroom vanity or multiple pendant lights, etc.), you may find multiple wires connected to the same screw terminal/push-in connectors on the switch. If there are more than two wires contented to the switch, it is likely a three-way switch, however, there are some instances where more than two wires will be connected to a standard switch. There may also be a ground wire connected. There must be 2 wires (usually black) connected to screw terminals or push connectors on the back of the switch housing. You can identify a single-pole wall switch when you remove it from the junction box. If your light can only be switched from a single location, it's most likely a standard/single-pole switch. This switch can be upgraded to a Smart Switch using the TP-Link HS200 Wi-Fi Smart Switch (so long as there are neutral wires in the junction box). This is the most common light switch found in a home. With a standard or single-pole wall switch, only one switch controls a light or series of lights. There are several types of light switches that you will encounter when upgrading a switch to a Smart Switch in your home. What if my switches don't provide a ground wire?.What if only one of my switches has a neutral wire?.What if my switch don't provide a neutral wire?.How can I identify my common/line/load and traveler wires?.What do all the different colors of wires mean?.What do all the different wires do on a 3-way switch?.
