Wall switches used to control ceiling light fixtures or other fixtures come in three types. The common is usually a wire used on a 3 way switch in this situation it would be either the hot wire or the switch leg meaning the wire that runs to the fixture.
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What does common mean on a light switch. The three way switch is a. Its normal for light switches to feel slightly warm especially dimmer switches which have additional components right behind the switch plate that generate a small amount of heat. See 4 way switch for how it is wired. Location does not matter. The other configuration uses a double pole double throw switch. This is only way to have a commonterminal.
A one way light switch has two terminals which is a common marked as com or c. It is important to mark the common wire before unhooking it from the old switch. While the common wire must be connected in a specific location on the two way switch the traveler wires may be connected to either of the remaining terminals. The three way switch is a. For example a long hallway or stairway might use a pair of three way. Most common is the single pole switch the type used to control a light fixture from a single locationthe next most common is the three way switch which is commonly used to control a light fixture from two different locations.
Its also called common because all circuits in the house typically have the white wires tied together which means every circuit has that wire in common. The com terminal on a light switch means that it is a three way or the kind of switch used where there are two or more switches that controll the same light or lights. Referring to this diagram above the common terminal goes to the red wire to the lamp in the left switch and the black wire on the right side switch. The common wire is normally the white wire at least in the united states and is often called the neutral wire. The other terminal is marked as l1 and is the output to the light fixture. The com terminal on a light switch means that it is a three way or the kind of switch used where there are two or more switches that controll the same light or lights.
The common wire is the only wire that needs to be attached to a particular screw often the dark one on the 2 way switch. There may be excessive voltage coursing through the switch or upstream problems with the wiring in your walls. The common is for the live wire that supplies the input voltage to the switch. The other wires for a three way are called the travelers and are the wires that connect the switches together.
Gallery of What Does Common Mean On A Light Switch
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