Dimmer Switch Wiring Diagram - Single Pole( 2 Way), 3 Way

Hey, in this article we are going to see the dimmer switch wiring diagram for both single-pole and three-way. Dimmer switches are available in major two types single pole(also known as two(2)way) and three(3) way. A single pole dimmer switch allows us to control the light from one location only whereas the 3-way dimmer switch allows us to control the same light from two different locations.

Dimmer switches are those which can control the flow of current or voltage. Basically, dimmer switches are used to control the brightness of lights or bulbs. You will see its applications in drawing rooms, theaters, etc. The dimmer works by altering the amount of voltage supplied to a light. There are two technologies used by dimmer switches - one type of switch which is used for traditional incandescent and halogen lights, cuts the AC waveform to reduce power to the light, and another type of switch which is common in LED dimmers, adjusts brightness by rapidly turning the light on and off.

The wiring diagram given in this article will help you to get knowledge about the connection of the dimmer switches. Remember that electricity is very dangerous. So before making the connection or installing a dimmer switch make sure that you are authorized to do the electrical work. Without knowledge of electricity can be very harmful and dangerous.

Dimmer Switch Terminals

Here, you can see the terminals of both single-pole and three-way dimmer switches.

Figure 1.1 shows a single-pole or two-way dimmer switch that has screw-type terminals. The left side lower terminal is for the grounding connection. The right-side lower terminal is to be connected to the phase or hot terminal of the incoming power supply. The right-side upper terminal is to be connected to the load.

Figure 1.2 shows a single pole dimmer switch that has wired terminals for external connection. The hot or line terminal may be of black color, red color, or blue color. The Load terminal generally uses a black color. The ground terminal uses green color or bare copper.

Figure 1.3 shows a three-way(3-way) dimmer switch. The left side low terminal is for grounding and the right side lower terminal is for the line. The upper side of both terminals is for load connection.

Nowadays there are various types of dimmer switches are come on the market some are rotation types some are push types and some are sensing types. But all of them have the same external terminals for connection with bulbs or light.

Single Pole(2 Way) Dimmer Switch Wiring Diagram

Here, you can see the wiring and connection diagram of the Dimmer switch with a bulb.

Connection Procedure

1. Connect the grounding terminal from the power supply to the ground terminal of the dimmer switch as shown in the above figure.
2. Connect the hot terminal of the power source to the line terminal of the dimmer switch. Here, you can use black, red, or blue color wire as per your country's standard.
3. Connect the load terminal of the dimmer switch to any one terminal of the bulb. Here, you can use a black color wire.
4. Now connect the neutral from the power source to another terminal of the bulb. Here, you can use white color or as per your country's standard.

Three(3) Way Dimmer Switch Wiring Diagram

Here, you can see the wiring diagram and connection of the three-way dimmer switch. You can see here two dimmer switches are required. But if you want to control dimming from one place and On/Off from another place then just take one piece three-way dimmer switch and one-piece three-way On/Off switch. The normal 3-way On/off switch also has the same terminals as the dimmer switch so the connection is also the same. You can refer to the exact same diagram as shown below if you use dimmer switches for both places. Otherwise, just replace one dimmer switch with a normal 3-way on/off switch.

Connection Procedure

1. Connect the load terminals of both switches as shown in the above figure.
2. Connect the hot terminal from the power source to the line terminal of the first switch.
3. Connect the line terminal of the second switch to any one terminal of the bulb.
4. Connect the neutral terminal from the power source to another terminal of the bulb.
5. Connect the ground terminal to both switches together.

So, according to the above diagrams you may already understand that the primary difference between the two is the number of locations from which you can control the lighting. Two-way dimmer switches offer control from two locations, while three-way dimmer switches offer control from three or more locations.

The Two-Way Dimmer switch is commonly used in situations where you have a single light source that you want to control from two different switches, such as at the top and bottom of a staircase or at different entrances to a room. When you adjust the dimmer from one location, it will adjust the light intensity accordingly, and the other switch will reflect the same setting. On the other hand, the Three-Way Dimmer switch is typically used in larger rooms or hallways where multiple switches are required to control the same light source. With a three-way dimmer switch, you can adjust the light intensity from any of the switches, and the other switches will reflect the same setting.

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