| Ok, the first and most important thing to do is, | | | | the other switch. |
| make sure there is no power on the wires you | | | | Lets go over what we know so far: |
| are dealing with. Check it with your meter to be | | | | 1) Turn the power off |
| sure. It is also a good idea to check your meter | | | | 2) Find the common screw on both switches |
| on a circuit that you know is hot(to verify it is | | | | 3) Find the 2 traveler screws on both switches |
| working properly). When you finish your basement | | | | 4) Determine what switch receives power |
| or finish that garage off you will be happy that | | | | 5) Determine what switch feeds power to the |
| you put that 3-way switch in instead of a single | | | | light(s) |
| switch. | | | | Now your ready to install. Plain and simple 2 wires |
| To get started you have to have one of the | | | | that are connected to nothing else must run from |
| switches and your ohm meter. Make sure the | | | | the 2 traveler screws on on switch to the 2 |
| meter is set to ohms. It may just have a symbol | | | | traveler screws on the other switch. Please make |
| that looks like a fat horseshoe to mark ohms. | | | | sure if your using a piece of romex wire for |
| You need to find the common lead(screw). The | | | | travelers you put black tape on the end of the |
| common is sometimes but not always indicated | | | | white wire at both switches. This lets you know |
| by a different color screw. Take your meter and | | | | power may be present. All that is left is to |
| touch one lead to one screw and the other lead | | | | connect the power to the common on one switch |
| to another screw. If your reading changes from | | | | and the power going to the light(s) on the other |
| OL to a small number like, 0.1 to 3.0 you have a | | | | switch. |
| circuit. Then with the meter leads on the same | | | | In the switch box feeding the light(s) the neutral |
| screws flip the switch and make sure the meter | | | | will be capped off. In the switch box receiving |
| changes to OL. Knowing this you need to find the | | | | power the neutral will be connected only to the |
| 2 screws that have no circuit between them(no | | | | neutral going to the light(s). Make sure that the |
| matter the position of the switch you always | | | | white wire(neutral) that is with the black wire |
| read (OL) or no circuit (--) with the meter). The 2 | | | | feeding power to the switch is connected to the |
| screws with no circuit possible are the travelers. | | | | light(s). The light or lights in the circuit will be the |
| The other screw is the common and will be the | | | | only place the neutral is used. |
| one connected to your power on one switch and | | | | There you have it. Yes it really is that simple. |
| it will be the one taking power to the light(s) on | | | | |