TL;DR
A four-way switch is the wiring device installed between two three-way switches so a light can be controlled from three or more locations, swapping the traveler conductors internally each time it is flipped. It has four terminals — two pairs for the incoming and outgoing travelers — and no line or load connection of its own, so any number can chain between the three-ways.
What it means
A four-way switch is the wiring device installed between two three-way switches so a light can be controlled from three or more locations, swapping the traveler conductors internally each time it is flipped. It has four terminals — two pairs for the incoming and outgoing travelers — and no line or load connection of its own, so any number can chain between the three-ways. Long hallways, stairwells with landings, and great rooms with multiple entries are its territory; smart-switch retrofits often replace the whole chain with one master and wireless remotes.
Where it sits in the glossary
Four-way switch is part of the Trade jargon group inside the ProFix Directory glossary. Browse every term in this category from the glossary index.
Why Ohio homeowners should know it
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