Is it possible to have 4 switches or more to operate one light bulb?

Question

Say on a corridor system where you might have 5 exits but one bulb. I'm aware of 2-way switches and the intermediate switch.

Never wired 4 switches up before. Do you just put another intermediate switch in?

Answer 1

You need 2 x two way switches, 1 at each end of the circuit and you can install an unlimited number of intermediate switches in between. The int. need 4 cores to each, 2 in and 2 out. You could also use a latching relay and take 2 cores to each switch, then every switch has a feed and switch wire, you then fit a push button switch, and any switch pressed will change the relay from off to on. (The supply to the light is wired through the relay contacts.)

ADDED>> I assumed you were in the UK, if so ignore the US references to 3 way and 4 way switches, that's American terminology, we use 2 way and intermediates. Also there is no switch with six terminals, a two way has three and an intermediate has four.

Answer 2

Intermediate Switches

Answer 3

You can have as many switches as you like to operate one light. Two 3-Way switches at either end, and as many 4-Way switches between them as you like. Each switch will control the light, turning it on if it is off, and vice-versa. There are a couple ways you could wire it, depending on where your power source is and where the light is.

Answer 4

how to test a trailer light bulb

Answer 5

When you have more than two switches controlling a fixture, you have to use three-way and four-way switches.
You can use as many of these as you want. It's actually very simple.
You can download wiring diagrams from the Internet.
Here's a link for this.
http://www.electrical-online.com/4-wayswitch.htm

Answer 6

Do to all the reasons mentioned above by other responders. Your best bet is to use X10 modules. You can purchase an x-10 light switch and a few remotes. All told it would be cheaper and more convenient than to have an electrician come out. They use to sell these things at Radio Shack. They still might if not order online.

Answer 7

if you are not a trained electrician you should NOT even be attempting to "play"with electricity,more fool you if you electrocute yourself.i did a 4year apprenticeship,learning from the bottom and thinkl that these question forums regarding stuff like this is nothing but dangerous,ok fare enough if you are askin how to paint a wall or unblock a drain,but i have seen some peoples examples of d.i.y electrics and they should be jailed.remember it might not be yourself you kill it could be some innocent person.

Answer 8

Yes you can wire another intermediate switch as required but I would like to explain the whole switching system for the benefit of other Yahoo Answer fans.

First - a warning: you must never work on an electrical circuit unless its supply has been disconnected at the main fuse box. Electricians will, in addition, tell you to be cautious (even when the correct fuse seems to have been safely pulled) because of any, possibly faulty, electrical work previously carried out. I'm not joking about this!

Two of the switches have to be of the single-pole, two-way type.

In one of these, one (constantly live) wire 'L' can be connected either to one OR to the other (but never to both) of the two alternative (switched live) wires, 'L1' and 'L2'.

The remaining two-way switch connects the common switched live wire (that goes to the lamp itself) to one or other of these two alternatively (switched live) wires 'L1' or 'L2'.

This, with just one further (constantly neutral) wire connected to the remaining lamp terminal, completes the circuit and the lamp will light when
both of the two-way switches are connected to the SAME switched live wire (say both to 'L1' or both to 'L2')

but will not light when
each two-way switch is connected to a DIFFERENT switched live wire (one to 'L1' but the other to 'L2').

The above works with just two wall switches but if another wall switch is required, these two 'switched live' wires, L1 and L2, can be broken somewhere along their length so they can be rewired through a double-pole two-way switch (with only two switch toggle positions - i.e. no 'centre' position) wired as a change-over switch.

This switch will really have six terminals but will be wired in 'cross-over' mode so that, in one position,
the 'incoming' L1 connects to the 'outgoing' L1 while the 'incoming' L2 connects to the 'outgoing' L2.

In the other position,
the 'incoming' L1 connects to the 'outgoing' L2 while the 'incoming' L2 connects to the 'outgoing' L1.

Such a cross-over switch is always able to change which of the 'outgoing' L1 or L2 switched-live wires will be made live, no matter which of the 'incoming' L1 or L2 wires has been made live by the positions of the other switches. It is therefore just as capable of independent switching (on or off).

To wire up the six terminals of this switch, find the two 'common' ('C') terminals and connect these to the 'incoming' L1 and L2 wires.
Now connect the 'outgoing' L1 and L2 wires respectively to the two terminals at one end of the switch but also connect a linking wire from each to the two terminals at the other end of the switch, remembering to 'cross' these links over so that, with the switch in that position, the incoming L1 will get connected to the outgoing L2 and vice-versa.

These switched 'L1' and 'L2' wires can be broken at different places to be wired through as many of these cross-over switches as you need. I expect the 'intermediate' switches you mention may be supplied as four-terminal types but with an internal cross-over action (described above) built in to their switch action.

Sorry this explanation is so wordy: a picture paints a thousand words but I don't have one.

Answer 9

Yes, but you will need a monster amount of wires as every switch will need to be in series, good luck.

Answer 10

Yes,it is possible.But they must be in a row.