Connection diagram for a pass-through switch with 2 places. Pass-through switch - two-point connection diagram
The connection diagram for a pass-through switch from 2 places and its design significantly expand the control capabilities of lighting systems. In sports halls, concert halls, stadiums, long corridors and tunnels, the lighting can be controlled in one of two places. Switches located on different sides of the facility eliminate the need to go to a single control point.
With one switch, a situation may arise when you have to walk to the exit in the dark along a long route, with numerous obstacles, risking breaking your neck. When connecting pass-through switches, just go to the nearest switch from the exit and turn off the lights in the entire room.
Designs and principles of operation of pass-through switches
The appearance of the transition switch does not have any special signs of difference from conventional housings. Fundamental changes to the product are hidden inside; the difference is in the contact diagram. The task of a simple switch is to close or open a circuit at one point; a pass-through switch, when the position of the key changes, opens one circuit and immediately connects another. The contacts are transferred to another direction in the circuit, so it would be more correct to call it a switch rather than a switch. But the terminology has already developed so that changing the term will introduce unnecessary misunderstandings between specialists and, even more so, with non-professionals.
The contacts, spreading to another group, are connected to the terminal circuit of the second pass-through switch operating in pairs. One by one in the circuit, the pass-through switches do not work. Of course, they can be connected as a single-key switch, but then the meaning of its general contact circuit is lost.
Circuit design of the main types of pass-through switches
The most commonly used pass-through switches are single-key, two-key and three-key. All of them are built on the same principle of transferring contacts. The single-key version has three contacts, one common switches to one of the two, depending on the position of the key. The remaining models include single-key circuits in their case. A two-key pass-through switch has two such circuits in its body, a three-key switch has three circuits, everything is simple. Only the dimensions of the case, the number of keys and contacts change:
- single-key, three contacts, input and two output,
- two key switch, six contacts, two inputs and 4 outputs,
- The three-key case has 3 inputs and 6 outputs.
Lighting control from 2 places, circuit using single-key switches
One group of electric lighting lamps can be controlled from different places using a circuit with single-key switches. This is a frequently used diagram, with an example of which the principle of operation is easily understood.
From the 220V power line, the phase directly comes to the input (moving) contact of one of the two switches. The output contacts of the two switches are connected to each other. The input contact of the second is connected to the terminal of the lighting device. Connect working 0 to another contact of the lamp.
Let's look at the wiring features in the junction box when installing this circuit. A cable with three insulated wires is used:
- red insulation – phase wire,
- blue insulation – neutral wire,
- yellow-green insulation is the ground wire.
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Four cables are inserted into the distribution box:
- one from the distribution board, power cable with one phase 220 V,
- two cables from each pass-through switch,
- one from the lighting group.
Color requirements are only feasible for lighting power cables. When connecting the wires coming from the pass-through switches into the box, only one condition is satisfied. The red phase wire is output to the input contact of the pass-through switches.
Control diagram for two-key switches for two groups of lighting fixtures
Using a double pass-through switch in two places you can control different groups of light.
An example of the practical application of a circuit with two single-key switches in everyday life, features and installation sequence
In private households, the technology of controlling light from two different places has long been used. On the routes from the gate to the house, there may be sections with stairs or other obstacles where lighting is required at night. It is convenient to open the gate, turn on the path lighting, walk to the house, climb the stairs and turn off the lighting in the yard without returning. How this is done in practice, installation begins with markings:
- cable routes,
- installation locations for walk-through switches,
- installation location of the distribution box.
One of the rational options is to install a distribution box and the first transfer switch in the hallway, next to the distribution board. It will be convenient to install the power cable and use and control the lighting in the yard without leaving your home. It would be logical to place the second pass-through switch on the fence on the inside of the yard near the gate. When you enter, you can immediately turn on the light, and when you enter the hallway of the house, turn it off.
As lighting fixtures, you can use decorative lamp posts, which are always on sale in large electrical goods stores. In most cases, 3-5 depending on the distance of the route in private homes is enough. It is advisable to lay the wiring on the ground in a trench through plastic pipes with a diameter of 5-6 mm, at a depth of 30-50 cm, regardless of the climatic conditions of the region. There is no point in digging below the freezing depth, this is not a water supply system and there is nothing to freeze. the main objective hide electrical wiring, protect it from mechanical damage and create a pleasant-looking interior in the yard. Connect the lamps of the lamp posts in a parallel circuit; in this case, if one lamp malfunctions, the others will work.
In a new house under construction there are two grooves; communication openings can be provided and laid in advance. In old houses, when renovating the hallway, you can make hidden wiring for pass-through switches. If there is no need to make repairs in the hallway, lay external wiring using cable channels, they are laid neatly, look very aesthetically pleasing, the plastic can be of any color.
You can match it to any interior, even dark and light wood. The cable must be used with copper wires cross section from 0.75 to 1.5 mm. Insert the wires into the box by 10-15 cm; to disconnect, remove the insulation by 3 cm; twisting and ensuring reliable contact is enough.
You can install touch sensors at two points at the end and beginning of the route to detect movement towards the pass-through switches; this eliminates the problem of searching for switches in the dark. This connection requires a separate topic for consideration. Connect according to the above diagram, the yard will be beautiful and convenient to use.
To increase the operating comfort of lighting fixtures, walk-through lighting fixtures are used, which allow you to control room lighting from two or more places. Sometimes this is not only a convenience, but also a necessity.
Most often, the connection diagram for a pass-through switch from 2 places is used in the following places, namely:
- . By installing switching devices on the 1st and 2nd floors, you can turn on the lights, go up or down and turn off the lights. In houses with more than 2 floors, you can add additional devices;
- . One switch is installed near the door, and the other device is installed near;
- . Switches are installed at the beginning and end of the room.
This list can be kept for quite a long time, since each case has its own option for using pass-through switch systems. To save time and money, all operations can be performed independently, subject to the recommendations that will be given in this article.
Read in the article
What is a pass-through switch and its difference from a regular switch
A pass-through switch is a device that allows you to control one light source from two or more places. The schemes for connecting them to the electrical network are a little more complicated than, since it involves the installation of several switching devices.
Lighting with pass-through switching devices, as a rule, is mounted on, in, long and garden. Such a scheme makes it possible to turn on the light in one place and turn it off in another, without resorting to the first switch.
To understand how a switch differs from a switch, you must first define the terms.
The switch is a two-position switching device with two contacts for use in electrical networks with voltages up to 1,000 volts. This device is not intended to cut short-circuit current unless equipped with an arc arrester. A household switch can be designed for indoor and outdoor installation.
A switch (also known as a backup, pass-through or changeover switch) is a device that switches one or more electrical circuits to several others. Externally, it is practically indistinguishable from a regular switch, except for the presence of more contacts.
When considering the question of what it is - a pass-through switch, it is worth knowing that they, like ordinary ones, come in single-key, two-key and three-key. They are also similar in the type of control - keyboard, touch, with remote control, etc.
Design and principle of operation of a pass-through switch
The simplest pass-through switching device is a single-key switch. By appearance it is practically no different from a conventional switching device, with the exception of the presence of an internal circuit, which is usually printed on the back of the case.
A conventional switching device makes and breaks an electrical circuit on one wire of the circuit. The principle of operation of a pass-through switch is that the mechanism key breaks one circuit and closes another. Switching contacts allows the switches to work in pairs and control the same lighting fixture. The pass-through switch can only be used in conjunction with another similar device. You can use this type of switch as a regular one, but in this case the meaning of its entire design is lost.
In a conventional device, the switching plate is permanently closed on one contact and, when a key is pressed, it is connected to another, thereby closing electrical circuit. The device of pass-through switches provides for the presence of a third contact located between the other two, and the plate connects it alternately, then to the first, then to the second, so it would be more correct to call such a device a switch.
A set of contacts with a switching plate is called a group of contacts. To control lighting from two different points, just one group is enough; from three or more, you will have to use two paired pass-through switches.
How to make a pass-through switch yourself and install it?
It’s worth saying right away that despite the seemingly small differences, a pass-through switch costs much more than a regular one. Therefore, many craftsmen, having decided to control lighting from several places, prefer to make such devices on their own, especially since for a person with the right hands, this is not so difficult. So, let's look at how to make a pass-through switch from a regular one, which can be bought at any market or electrical goods store.
In principle, converting a conventional switch into a walk-through switch consists of adding a third contact to the device circuit. To do this, it is advisable to purchase, or maybe someone already has, two switches, for one or a pair of keys, made by the same manufacturer.
It is very important that the switches are the same size. If you purchase a two-key switch, you need to make sure that they have the ability to swap terminals so that the breaking and closing of each circuit is carried out independently of each other. As a result, it should turn out that in one position of the key one circuit will be turned on, and in the other - the second.
Now let's look at the step-by-step process of converting a conventional switch into a walk-through one.
Important! First of all, and this is not discussed, it is necessary to de-energize the network, having first identified the phase wire using the indicator, which needs to be marked, for example, with a piece of electrical tape (this will facilitate further connection).
| Photo of the stage | Process description |
 | We take a regular overhead one-key switch. |
 | Using a screwdriver, carefully pry out the device key (as a rule, they are equipped with clips) |
 | Carefully press the switch core out of the housing. |
 | Release the clamps on the housing of the internal mechanism of the switch. |
 | We remove one of the terminals from the socket. |
 | We reinstall the contact opposite the other one. |
 | We install a “rocker arm” on the contacts. |
 | Reassemble the body and the conversion is complete. |
A pass-through switch can be made from two regular ones, placing them side by side so that one of them turns on when you press top part keys, the second - to the bottom. The keys are connected by a plate glued on top of them. A jumper is installed between two contacts of adjacent switches.
Before installing the pass-through switch, you need to loosen the spacer tabs, connect the wires in accordance with the diagram, insert them into the wiring box and tighten the clamp screws back.
The remodeling process can be seen in more detail in the presented video:
Connection options for pass-through switches
To know exactly how to correctly install a pass-through switch, you first need to understand the connection diagrams various types switches with different numbers of lighting fixtures.
Connection diagram for single-key pass-through switches
The single-key pass-through switch circuit is the simplest.
- First of all, turn off the power supply and use a special indicator to make sure there is no voltage. Only after this can you begin further work.
- To implement the circuit, 5 wires must come to the junction box:
- power supply - from a machine or traffic jams;
- 3 two-core cables going directly to the switches;
- connected to the lighting fixture.
- Strip the ends of the wires from insulation;
- The switches are connected at the break in the phase wire, and the neutral wire goes through the distribution box to the lighting fixture. The need to pass a phase through the switch is caused by ensuring safety during maintenance or;
- Using an indicator, we determine the phase wire and, using twisting, connect it to one of the wires of the first switch (usually, for convenience, red or white wires are used);
- Next, the zero terminals of the switches are connected to each other by wires (visible in the diagram), and a separate contact of the second switch is connected to the lamp through a wire;
- The wire from the junction box is connected to the neutral;
- Visually check the connections for correctness by referring to the diagram above and if everything is in order, then you can apply power. Before applying power, you need to insulate the twists, carefully lay the wires in the junction box and close it with a lid.
To control lighting from more than two places, you will need to include a single-key cross switch in the circuit.
Connection diagram for two-key pass-through switches
It is preferable to install pass-through switches with several keys in large rooms with several inputs and different ones that need to be turned on simultaneously. The most popular is connecting a pass-through double switch, which allows you to control several groups of lamps.
A two-key pass-through switch consists of two single-key transfer switches that are housed in a single housing. Accordingly, for installation and operation the device will need six wires, which is clearly visible in the diagram of a two-key pass-through switch.
Pass-through three-key switches
The lighting circuit using a three-key pass-through switch is quite complex due to the presence of a large number of wires. However, these switching devices are popular because they allow you to control three different lighting groups from one access point.
In the wiring diagram, triple pass-through switches are usually a two-key and a single-key switch.
How to connect pass-through switches to control lighting from several places? Connection diagrams and videos
As mentioned above, pass-through switches are designed to control one or more lighting groups. We have already looked at how to connect a pass-through switch, and we know that control can be done from two or more points, but each of these schemes has its own characteristics.
Unlike conventional one, two and three-key switching devices, which are mounted individually, the installation of pass-through switches is carried out only in pairs. Next, we will look at how to implement a scheme for controlling lighting groups from two or more places and connection features.
Important! To control lighting fixtures from three or more places, in addition to the usual pass-through switches, it is necessary to connect cross switches.
The video clearly shows the connection diagram for the pass-through switch:
Schematic diagram of connecting a pass-through switch from 2 places
Connecting a pass-through switch is practically no different from installing a conventional 1, 2 or 3-key switch. The difference is only in the number of terminals and wires supplied.
For your information! Simply installing a pass-through switch in place of a regular one will not work since it will require at least a three-core cable.
To implement a circuit for connecting a pass-through switch from two places, you will need two switching devices, a distribution box into which wires from and three-core cables from the switches are supplied.
The phase wire from the distribution box is connected to the common input contact 1 of the pass-through switch. The output contacts are connected in parallel to similar terminals of the second switching device. From the common contact of the second switch the wire goes to the terminal of the lighting fixture. The other terminal of the lamp is connected by wire to the “zero” in the distribution box.
That’s basically the whole diagram for connecting switches from two places. In my opinion, there is nothing difficult about this.
Important! The wire cross-section must be selected in accordance with the power of the lighting fixtures.
Connection diagram for pass-through switch from 3 places
Sometimes there is a need to create more than two control points for different lighting groups, for example, in multi-storey buildings, in large halls, long corridors with several exits, etc. In such cases, a connection diagram for pass-through switches with at least 3 points is implemented.
You can also make such a connection without problems, however, for this, in addition to the usual pass-through switches, you will also need a cross switch. In such switching devices there are no longer three, but four contacts - a pair of inputs and two outputs, which switch simultaneously, and accordingly it is necessary to use four-core cables.
In such a scheme, conventional pass-through switches are used at the first and last lighting control points, while cross switches are used at all other points. The number of group control places is unlimited, but with each additional point the connection in the distribution box becomes more complicated due to the large number of wires. To make the work easier, it is necessary to mark the wires so as not to get tangled in them later.
The principle of connecting pass-through switches for three control points is as follows:
- The output contacts of the first pass-through switch are connected by wires to the input pair of terminals following the cross switch, and so on until the last control point, the common wire of which is connected to the contact of the lighting device. The phase wire is connected to the input contact of the first switching device, and the second wire coming from the lamp comes to “zero” in the junction box.
- A three-wire wire is supplied to each of the pass-through switches, and four-wire wires are supplied to the crossover switches.
The diagram above shows the connection to the lighting of three control points, consisting of two pass-through and one crossover switches.
Attention! Through and crossover switches can operate at 6, 10 or 16A current ratings. All switches in a given circuit must have the same or greater current rating, and the wires used must be the same size.
Connection diagram for pass-through switch with 4 places
Having understood the above connection options, it will not be difficult to implement a connection diagram for a pass-through switch with 4 points or more. The difference lies in the introduction of additional crossover switches into the circuit.
The principle of work is practically no different from the previous ones, you just have to deal with more big amount wires, so that it would be completely useful to label them.
Leading manufacturers of walk-through switches and their product range
Before you go to a store or market to buy a pass-through switch, you first need to familiarize yourself with the leading manufacturers of these products and their model range. Russian market electrical goods offers products from a wide variety of manufacturers - from premium to budget. The prices of pass-through switches largely depend on the design and brand.
Legrand
Legrand is a leader in the electrical goods market due to the highest quality and reliability of its products and differs from competitors in its more flexible pricing policy. Legrand pass-through switches are convenient in everything - from installation to operation. The company's products are associated with style and high quality.
The advantages of Legrand products are as follows:
- a wide range of;
- high quality manufacturing;
- durable components;
- wide choice of colors;
- flexible pricing policy.
An insignificant drawback of Legrand pass-through switches is the need for a more precise adjustment of the installation locations, since if they do not match, installation complications may arise.
VIKO
The Turkish company VIKO has been in the electrical market since 1990 and has already managed to win the trust of consumers. The company's products are characterized by high quality and reliability. For the production of electrical accessories, durable and fireproof plastic is used, designed for a large number of work cycles. All of the company's products meet high European standards of quality and electrical safety.
Lezard
The Chinese manufacturer Lezard is part of the Legrand company, but only the stylish design remains from the native brand, and the build quality sometimes suffers from failures. But for such a price the quality is appropriate.
Wessen
Wessen is one of the leaders in the Russian electrical market and is a branch of Schneider Electric. Because of this, all products undergo strict quality control and are equipped the latest technologies, which were developed in the field of electrical engineering. The company offers the consumer a wide selection of products with a universal design, which allows them to fit into almost any environment.
The most popular among Russian buyers is the Rondo series. All products in this series are designed for hidden installation and have the necessary safety features. In addition, the decorative frames of the switches can be easily replaced, which makes it possible to customize them to any interior and realize your own design ideas.
Makel
A Turkish brand that has long gained popularity among Russian consumers. Makel products are functional, reliable and safe, and despite their seemingly simple design, they attract attention.
Makel switches provide the ability to connect via a cable without using distribution boxes. This makes product installation simple and use comfortable.
Legrand model range
| The lineup | Description |
 Valena |
|
 Celiane |
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 Exclusive Celiane |
|
 Galea Life |
|
Review of VIKO models
| The lineup | Description |
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Lezard
| The lineup | Description |
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Wessen
| The lineup | Description |
 Wessen W 59 Frame |
|
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Makel products
| The lineup | Description |
 Lilium Nat Care |
|
 Defne |
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 Makel Mimoza |
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When installing switches, it is necessary to ensure that there is no electric current using an indicator.
The most convenient height for ease of use is considered to be 900 mm from the floor. It is better to place the switch at a distance of 200 mm from the doorway.
If the device is installed outdoors, you should purchase switches with a protection class of at least IP44.
Before installation, you first need to use an indicator to identify the phase wire and mark it. This will make it easier to further connect the pass-through switch.
In the distribution box, it is better to connect the wires not by twisting, but by means of connecting blocks, terminal blocks and clamps.
Conclusion
As we can see, the device, operating principle and connection of the pass-through switch are not particularly difficult, especially if you follow the recommendations and adhere to basic electrical safety rules. The introduction of pass-through switches will provide additional comfort for controlling lighting devices. You can improve your home's electrical systems endlessly; it's just a matter of desire, financial capabilities and imagination.
Let's imagine a situation: night, in front of you is a long staircase to the second floor where it is dark, like in a forest. You pressed the light switch and it became light, but when you climbed the stairs you realized that the light could only be turned off using the switch at the top...
To be able to turn lights on and off from two different locations, simply purchase an additional pass-through switch for the staircase. This is not the only solution, but by far the most popular. There are more, which are mentioned in another entry. But within the framework of this article we will examine the following questions:
- Operation of staircase switches
- Connection method for pass-through switches
- Practical example and implementation of the switching circuit
- The ability to create a lamp control circuit from 3 or more places.
So, thanks to ladder switches, you can light the same lamp from two different places. Not necessarily on the stairs. This could be any large room where it makes sense to control the lamp from two places. In general, such switches can be used to turn on/off any device from two places, not necessarily just lamps.
How do stair switches work?
A simplified diagram looks like this (take a closer look at the animation).
- We provide electrical potential through the phase wire (L).
- The switches are connected by two brown and gray wires (in the diagram).
- The light comes on when electricity from the L-wire reaches the lamp.
- The circuit can be interrupted independently using either ladder switch S1 or S2.
- With the help of a staircase switch, they do not completely break the circuit, but choose which electric potential is transferred to the second switch.
Thus, a pass-through switch has one more contact compared to a single switch. In the usual one there are 2, but here there are 3 terminals for connecting wires.
The following diagram has more in common with reality. So let's see what's happening here:
- The power cord is connected to switch S1.
- We connect the neutral (N) and protective (PE) wires outside the circuit breakers using electrical connectors. The conductor protection connector is connected to the lamp body (or PE terminal), the neutral wire to the N terminal.
- The power phase conductor (L) is connected to terminal No. 1 of switch S1. After this operation and voltage application, the electric potential will be applied to either terminal No. 2 or terminal No. 3 of switch S1.
- Therefore, the 220V electric current at terminals 2 or 3 will reach switch S2.
- If switches S1 and S2 are in the same positions, an electrical potential will appear at terminal No. 1 of switch S2 and the light will turn on.
In order for the light bulb to light up, it is extremely important that the circuit is not interrupted, starting from the 220 V phase supply wire (L) and ending with the lamp.
Schematic diagram of a pass-through switch
Three things have changed:
- There are two cables connected from the junction box S1 to switch S2, which are used to power the other light switches.
- All neutral and all protective wires are connected to two separate connectors. Since there are only two contacts in terminal No. 1 of staircase switch S1, it is necessary to use an additional electrical connector to which they will be connected: Phase power wire L, phase wires leading to other switches and power supply S1.
- There is a fourth cable (black) between the S2 switch box and the lamp. This may be useful in the future, but in this configuration it is not used or associated with anything.
Step by step installation
Pass-through switch S1
Let us remind you once again that we always start any installation by turning off the voltage in the 220V network. Before starting work, use a voltage tester to make sure that there is no electrical potential on the power cables, preferably on all terminals coming out of the box.
The type of wires that come out of the box. We need a power cord and a cable that is routed to switch S2.
Let's connect all the wires right away so that we don't have to unscrew the switch again later.
Let's connect all the neutral wires to one connector, and all the protective wires to another connector. Use pliers during this operation.
When all the neutral and protective wires are connected, we put them into the electrical box. There are 5 phase wires left:
- Power supply - 1 pc.
- For powering other switches - 2 pcs.
- For staircase switch S2 - 2 pcs.
The power cord and two cords for other circuit breakers are connected together at the electrical connector. We also connect to this connector a short cable a few centimeters long, which will be connected to terminal 1 of switch S1.
The short circuit cord is connected on one side, and the wires leading to switch S2 are on the second (top) side of the switch. Once voltage is applied, the electrical potential in the line will be transferred to either the brown or black wire depending on the position of the switch.
The last step is to assemble and align the circuit breaker. Let's put the frame and key back. Here is another drawing of how everything should be connected in the box:
Pass-through switch S2
Let's move on to the second place (switch). We have two cables, each with 4 wires:
- cable outlet from switch S1 (bottom)
- cable that leads to the lamp (top)
Due to the lack of a blue conductor, the gray wire is wrapped in blue electrical tape to indicate that it is a neutral conductor.
Similar to switch S1, we connect the protective conductors with one connector and the neutral conductors with the help of a second connector.
There are 4 phase wires left, of which the black one leading to the lamp will not be used in accordance with the diagram.
We fix the wires. On the top side, connect the wires from switch S1, and the bottom phase wire goes to the lamp.
Depending on the position of switch S1, the electrical potential will be on either the brown wire (top) or the black wire. That is, depending on the position of switch S2, the guide wire to the lamp (lower brown) will be connected to one of the upper wires.
Now reassemble, put the frame and key back on.
Pass-through switch for 3 places
Is it possible to connect more switches to control the lighting of one lamp? When using only conventional step switches, it is impossible to control the lamp from more than two places. For even more places, you need to buy cross switches, which are placed between the ladder switches, as shown in the diagram.
Let's summarize the work done
Thus, a stair switch provides an inexpensive and simple way to control lighting from two different locations. However, this requires preliminary planning and the laying of additional cables between them at the stage of repair / construction of the wiring. At a later stage, this operation may be difficult - you will have to run the wire along the wall or drill a channel in it.
As an electronics engineer, I only discovered the existence of a pass-through switch while building a house. It seemed undignified to me to return to the hallway after turning on the living room lights to turn off the light by the front door.
In the end, I used them in four cases. It's funny, but a few years after finishing the house, it dawned on me that this should have been done three more times!
Now, based on the experience gained, I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the wonderful properties and capabilities of a simple and useful device.
Pass-through switch: what is it about?
In academic terms, a pass-through switch is a device that provides independent control of lighting from different locations. For clarity, you can play: one person tries to turn on the lamp, and the other tries to turn it off. At the same time, they control the lighting from different places. It will turn out to be a fun disco with blinking lights, but it’s impossible to win!
In practice, such devices are used to turn on the lighting at one point, walk a certain area in comfort, and turn off the light at another point without going back. Hence the name - pass-through or marching switch. In this case, the whole trick lies in the design of the device.
Let's compare a regular switch with a pass-through switch As you can see, when a third contact is added to a regular switch, it becomes a pass-through contact. Moreover, from the point of view of circuit design, such a device is correctly called a switch, since the circuit is never broken and the switching contact, in any position of the key, is connected to one of the output contacts.
Practical Application Examples
It is not always obvious where exactly lighting control should be provided. The task becomes easier if you look at practical examples.
Lighting control between garage and house In this case, marching switches are used to provide illumination of the path between the garage and the house:
- garage lighting control;
- light above the garage door;
- illuminated path;
Thus, you can turn on the lights from home, walk comfortably through the illuminated area and turn off the lights in the garage, or vice versa. In this particular example there are two more possibilities:
- When working in the yard, you can turn on the lights;
- If you are expecting guests, you can control the light outside while at home.
I added a light sensor to the lighting circuit of the local area, and the lights in the yard turn on automatically at nightfall, if necessary. Read about the use of the sensor in a separate article.
Pass-through switches control lighting in the vestibule The dark vestibule of the house is not very cozy, and marching switches are also installed to control its lighting:
- porch lighting control;
- lamp on the wall;
- control of lighting in the hallway.
Now we close the front door, turn on the lights in the hallway, and turn off the lights on the street and in the vestibule. To control the light on the way from the hallway, it would be necessary to install pass-through switches in all three rooms on the first floor. To avoid this, the lighting in the hallway is turned off with a timer. Read about its installation in a separate article.
We go up the illuminated stairs and turn off the lights For staircase lighting, marching switches are a necessity:
- lighting control in the living room on the ground floor;
- three lamps on the staircase passage;
- lighting control on the second floor landing.
The area on the second floor is small, so that after turning on the lighting in one of the rooms, you can return and turn off the lamps on the stairs. This did not suit me, and a timer was added to the switch wiring diagram. Now it can be turned off immediately, and the lighting will turn off the timer after 2 minutes.
We go down to the basement along the illuminated stairs We also go down to the ground floor along the illuminated stairs:
- lighting control at the entrance to the basement;
- lighting control in the basement.
In the base everything is a little simpler: here in one block you can turn on the lamp in any room. Thus, you can first turn on the light in one of the rooms, and then turn off the lighting on the stairs.
An example of installing pass-through switches in the bedroom Here is a blatant example of hindsight: there are no pass-through switches in the bedroom! You have to turn off the light at the door, and then move forward by touch in complete darkness, risking running into the corner of the bed. You can, of course, turn on the sconce, and then return to the entrance and turn off the general light. The correct thing to do is:
- control of lighting at the front door;
- sconces by the bedside tables;
- as an option, you can use lamps opposite the bed;
- lighting control at the head.
About the same thing should have been done in the other 2 bedrooms. I hope the examples given will inspire you to make the right decisions.
Types of crossover and pass-through switches
Let's take a closer look at the subject of our interest. First, we will study the existing options, and then we will learn how to connect them to electrical wiring.
Main types of pass-through switches In appearance, changeover switches vary in color and shape, and they also come in:
- hidden or open installation;
- single-key, two-key, three-key;
- with or without backlight;
- a special character on the keys may or may not be present.
Internal circuits of pass-through switches Considering the internal diagram, we can talk about the following types:
- Single-key pass-through switch. It is most often used as the first and last device in the case of 2 or more control points.
- Pass-through switch with two keys. A double device is used for the same purpose to control lighting using 2 groups of lamps.
- 3-key pass-through switch. Used for the same purpose to control three groups of lamps.
- Single-key cross or toggle switch. Used as an intermediate device in a chain of three or more locations.
- Two-key cross switch. Used as a middle device in a chain of 3, 4 or more control points for two groups of luminaires.
As follows from the illustration above, in a pass-through switch, the input terminal is connected to one of the output terminals when the key is pressed. In crossover - the conductors connected to the input and output change places when the position of the key changes.
There's no point in this moment worry about the variety of internal circuits. Firstly, most often only a single pass-through switch is in demand. Secondly, something else may be required, and this will become clear from the specific options for connecting devices.
Rear view of different types of pass-through switches The photo shows a rear view of the wiring accessories. Now you can choose and purchase the right model yourself. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers indicate the contact markings on the device body. If it is missing, you will have to use a multimeter to determine the placement of the product terminals.
Connection diagrams for pass-through switches
The method of disconnecting main switches is determined by the specific conditions of use. In several cases we will consider 2 options for connecting images. The first of them is easier to understand and is sufficient when installing devices in the case of existing electrical wiring. Another option takes into account the requirement of laying cables using junction boxes, which can actually be done in a new building or when replacing wiring.
Standard 2-point installation option
The option of controlling one or more parallel-connected lamps from two locations is the most popular and simple. There are four possible combinations of the position of the keys of the two switches: in two of them the lamp is on, in the other two it is off.
The most popular scheme for connecting two pass-through switches with one lamp In the example with the photo of the devices at the back, the circuit is open and the lamp does not light. At the bottom of the illustration, the circuit is closed and the light is on. We can say that in this connection diagram one conventional switch is replaced by two single-key pass-through switches connected to each other by a two-core cable.
Wiring diagram for connecting two switches with a light bulb This illustration shows the connection using a junction box. As you can see, each of the devices is connected to the box with a three-wire cable.
Schemes for controlling one lamp from several points
Control from several points is necessary when moving along a long passage. For example, in a three-story house, on each floor you can control the lighting on the stairs where needed.
Option to control one luminaire from three points To implement the independent lighting control scheme from three locations, a crossover switch is required. As in the previous version, they can be connected to each other with a two-core cable.
Installation of three pass-through switches using a distribution box Now let's get acquainted with the electrical installation diagram, made according to all the rules, using a junction box. As you can see, to connect two pass-through switches to the distribution box you need a three-core cable, and for a crossover you will have to use two two-wire ones.
Connection diagram of four pass-through switches to control one lamp Using the same principle, you can build a lighting control circuit from 4 or more locations. The first and last devices in the chain are pass-through switches. Intermediate devices are of cross type.
Controlling multiple luminaires from multiple locations
There are situations where it is necessary to control multiple luminaires from multiple locations. For example, in a bedroom it is possible to install one two-key pass-through switch at the door and another at the bed. Then in both places it will be possible to turn on and off both the general lighting in the room and the lamps by the bed.
Connection diagram of two pass-through switches with two separate lamps To implement such a scheme, you will need two two-key pass-through switches. To connect them, in the simplest case, you need two two-core cables.
Wiring diagram for connecting two switches with two separate lamps Wiring diagram correct connection a two-key pass-through switch using a distribution box looks more impressive. The box will need to be large, since it must fit eight wire connections. To connect the first pass-through switch, you will need a two-wire and a three-wire cable, and to connect the second, two three-wire cables.
Scheme for controlling three independent lamps from two points Theoretically, by increasing the number of pass-through 2-key switches, it is possible to independently control the lighting of 2 lamps from any number of places. You may want to operate from two locations with three groups of light bulbs in a chandelier. The circuit using a triple switch demonstrates the real possibility of such work, but it will require a lot of cable.
Control circuit for two lamps from three places This diagram for connecting a pass-through switch from 3 places demonstrates the ability to control two separate light bulbs. Two two-key pass-through switches can be placed by the bed, and a third by the bedroom door. Everywhere you can turn on and off local lighting or a general lamp.
Control circuit for two separate luminaires from four points As we have already noted, the lighting control circuit can be expanded endlessly. The ability to turn 2 different lights on and off from four points can come in handy in a long hallway in a house with many rooms. Obviously, after considering various examples, it will not be difficult to create any independent lighting control circuit yourself using single-key and other pass-through switches.
Installation of pass-through switches with existing wiring
It is likely that you will want to arrange your own independent control of lamps with existing electrical wiring. In this case, it is quite difficult to ensure electrical installation using a box and laying a cable 15 cm from the ceiling because the wiring in the wall can be damaged.
In any case, you need to get a tester to detect the cable under the plaster and check its presence where you are going to do something. In addition, when performing work, you should completely disconnect the wiring in the house or apartment.
Installation of pass-through switches with existing wiring Let's consider step by step the option of controlling lighting from 2 points. From the above illustration it follows that pass-through switch No. 1 can be installed instead of the existing conventional one. To install device No. 2, you should prepare a place in the wall, which you can read about in a separate article.
The next step is to make a groove connecting both devices. A three-core cable is placed in the seam and the wall is puttied.
From the wiring diagram it can be seen that the green core of the three-core cable coming from device No. 2 should be connected to the corresponding core of the cable coming from the junction box to device No. 1. The connection is placed in the socket of device No. 1 and is made by twisting or using a special clamp. It is better to solder the twist and wrap it with electrical tape. Nothing should be changed in the junction box.
Standard situation: you entered the house and turned on the light in the hallway, and then moved to the bedroom. Now you need to go back to turn off the corridor light, which is not very convenient. And if the recreation room is located on the second floor of a private house, then you will have to climb the stairs twice to turn off the lighting in the hallway. A connection diagram for the so-called pass-through switch will help solve this problem, allowing you to control one lamp (or group of lamps) from 2 places.
Two-point control principle
In practice, the system works as follows:
- Entering a dark corridor, you turn on the light fixture.
- Having moved to another room or to the second floor, you extinguish it with the second switch installed in this room.
- Anyone who enters the house after you will be able to turn on the light in the hallway again and turn it off in a convenient way at one of two points.
Note. With the same success, you can organize lighting control from 3 or even 4 different places, which will be discussed below.
Simply put, the lamp turns on and off at the first point regardless of the position of the key at the second and vice versa. Key element circuit is a pass-through (otherwise known as a marching) switch, which differs from a conventional single-key switch in three contacts for connecting wiring. Two such devices need to be placed in convenient places and connected to electrical network triple (three-core) cable according to the following diagram:
In essence, our devices are switches that transfer phase current in one of two directions. Switching occurs between these lines, only from different sides. Whatever the position of the buttons initially, pressing any of the two keys will lead to a short circuit or break in the electrical circuit.
The photo shows that the middle contact closes to one of the outer ones, there is no complete shutdown mode
Reference. Pass-through switches are far from new. Regular, two-key and three-key product models have been produced for a long time by well-known manufacturers of electrical equipment - Schneider Electric, Legrand and Lezard. What such a device looks like is shown in the photo.
To control a group of lamps from different rooms with the ability to turn on one or more lamps, you need to use double (two-pole) switches and connect them according to this scheme:
- Install pass-through switches on plastic socket boxes in the required places. From each of them, run three-core cables in strobes to the junction box.
- Inside the box, directly connect the neutral and ground contacts leading to the light bulb. Connect the phase wires from the network and the lamp to the conductors leading to the changeover contacts of the switches.
- There, connect the contacts of the double line between our buttons. This completes the installation.
Inclusion from 3 or more places
To implement such lighting control, the above circuit of the pass-through switch is supplemented with one more element. This is a so-called crossover (otherwise known as a paired) 4-pin switch, whose installation is provided between the outer disconnecting devices, as shown in the picture below. Its operating principle is as follows:
- in the first position, the button directly closes both circuits;
- after switching, the lines close crosswise.
Note. If it is necessary to control a lamp from 4 or more places, then a second paired switch is added to the circuit, a third, and so on ad infinitum.
Disconnecting the devices in this case is somewhat more difficult, since here there is a four-core cable for connecting a crossover device. It is better to do the wiring inside the distribution box, and not in the socket boxes, while it is advisable to duplicate the colors of the wires with tags in order to avoid confusion. The connection diagram is explained in an accessible and detailed manner in the video:
Common installation mistakes
When independently assembling the described circuits, owners of apartments and private houses make several typical mistakes, which is why the system does not work initially or fails in the near future. We list these shortcomings and the reasons that cause them:
- One of the remote switches breaks the circuit completely (usually a cross switch), the rest also stop functioning. This is a clear sign that the contacts are connected incorrectly; you need to check everything and connect it correctly.
- One of the keyboard devices quickly burns out and has to be replaced frequently. Here there is a high load from the lamps on the switch contacts, designed for a maximum power of 2.2 kW (current 10 Amps). If it cannot be reduced, you need to switch to another switching method - using pulse relays with parallel connection of push-button switches.
- There is periodic blinking of luminescent and LED lamps, operating from pass-through switches. The reason is low-quality products with poor insulation (there is a leak) or cheap micro-bulbs for night illumination, built into housings for orientation in the dark.
Important point. A serious mistake, under certain conditions leading to electric shock, is connecting the neutral wire to the disconnecting valve instead of the phase wire.
Push-button dimmer combined with pass-through switch
Problems also occur when used simultaneously with pass-through two-position dimmer switches - electronic devices to adjust the brightness of light bulbs. This happens when you try to assemble a circuit from cheap elements with poor quality insulation.
Conclusion
Despite the emergence of new methods of switching lighting using pulse relays and blocks remote control, the circuit with pass-through switches remains the simplest and most affordable for the price of components. There is only one drawback of the system: the keys do not have a fixed “on” and “off” position, which sometimes causes inconvenience. For example, being on the second floor of a house, you cannot see whether the lights on the first floor are turned off, and you cannot tell by looking at the switch button.
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