Multiple lights with multiple switches
If you are not already familiar with the use of 3-way and 4-way switches, first read "Controlling lights with two or more switches." From that page, you know how to control a single light with as many switches as you want. To control multiple lights from these switches, just place additional lights in parallel with the first, as shown below. (The four-way switches are optional.)
The first light box has two 3-conductor cables coming from the neighboring switch boxes and a 2-conductor cable extending to the next light box. In the first light box:
- The white wire of the 3-conductor cable coming from the right is the switched hot wire, so tape this black.
- Connect with a wire nut this taped wire, the black wire of the two-conductor cable, and a short black pigtail.
- Connect with a wire nut the white wire of the 3-conductor cable coming from the left, the white wire of the 2-conductor cable, and a short white pigtail.
- Connect the black and white pigtails to your light fixture.
In the last light box, just connect the black and white wires to your light fixture.
A visitor to this page asked about whether one could rig up a multilight-multiswitch circuit without the branch shown above. You certainly can, by using 4-conductor cable. Here is the circuit:
Note that the blue wire is the switched hot, and the white wire is neutral. You may connect as many lights as you wish in parallel by this means. You must use 4-conductor cable from the first light to the last light. Finally, note that you many include as many 4-way switches on either side as you like, or you may include none at all. However, the 3-way switches must be at each end as shown.
Suggestions or comments for this page? E-mail matthews@wfu.edu.
Controlling lights with multiple switches