Three-key switch connection diagram for three lamps. How to connect a three-key light switch. Three-way switch in one housing with socket

In order to save a little energy, as well as control different levels of lighting from one place, light switches with three keys were created. They are often used in houses and apartments because... really convenient and easy to use. Connecting a triple model is more difficult than a single one, so this article provides you with video and photo examples, as well as a wiring diagram for a three-key light switch.

Application Feature

A person, without realizing it, uses many more light sources than he actually needs. The level of lighting that he involuntarily uses may be half as much. If a person stops consuming excess electricity and turning off unnecessary light bulbs, this will save up to 30% of the electricity used. It is precisely for these cases that the triple switch, shown in the photo below, is used. A three-key device is usually connected to a chandelier to control any type of lighting: decorative, main and additional. Most often, the main lighting is used, and the remaining keys are used as needed.

Also, connecting a three-key model is often used to control the lighting of different rooms from one place. For example, in the hallway you can install a triple model to turn on the lights in the kitchen, bathroom and toilet, or instead of the kitchen in the hallway itself. It’s very convenient, and besides, this idea allows you to save on electrical installations (instead of installing three separate products, only one will be used).

Installation instructions

So, the connection diagram for a three-key light switch looks like this:

Six wires go from the light bulbs to the junction box. Three of them are interconnected and connected to the neutral conductor (this working zero comes from the shield,). Those three wires from the junction box that remain unused are connected to the outputs of the device. Then, from the distribution box you need to connect a phase that will be the same for the three light sources. The connection is made to the switch. If grounding is provided, the yellow-green wires from the lamps also need to be connected to each other. All connections are recommended to be made using.

This diagram clearly shows how a three-key type of switch can be connected and how a certain light bulb lights up when the contact is closed:

The three-key switch from the inside looks like this: on the case it is described in detail and shown where each wire should be connected and where the phase should be taken. The rear diagram of the device looks like this:

The video instructions clearly show how to connect a triple light switch to the network:

A triple device can work according to this principle: connecting one lamp to the first key allows you to turn on the first light source, the second key turns on two lamps, and the third turns on additional lighting in the form of a sconce. This connection makes it possible to combine up to seven types of lighting in a room, and this can be done by one three-key device.

There is also a triple release, which is placed in the same housing with the socket. Thanks to this design, you can save on electrical wiring installation, since the work is concentrated in one place. The connection diagram for a three-key switch with a socket in one housing is shown below:

This scheme has a slight difference from the previous one. The difference is that in this case a neutral wire is added, which goes from the junction box to the outlet. This design option is used in places where the outlet is used infrequently, for example, in the bathroom.

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Recently, in order to rationally use electricity, many are planning to connect a three-key switch. With it you can easily control the lighting parts. You no longer need all the lights to be on at the same time. If necessary, you can now turn on the lighting in the area where it is needed. To implement this process, you will need a three-key switch.

In this article you will learn how to connect a three-key switch. For you, we have posted about its device and connection diagram.

Three-key switch in everyday life

Today, many people use a large number of lighting sources in their home. Their quantity can sometimes be twice as much as human needs. After conducting research, we found out that if a person stops lighting extra lamps, then he can save electricity by 30%. On the other hand, a three-key switch allows you to make your home much more comfortable.

The design of the three-key switch is quite simple. But thanks to its simple design, it can solve most problems. With its help, you can divide your room into several illuminated zones. Thanks to it, you can turn on additional lighting only when necessary.

Three-key switch diagram

The connection diagram for a three-key switch is as follows:

As you can see, according to this diagram, six wires will enter the junction box. Three of these wires must be connected to each other. After this, you need to connect the wires to the neutral wire. The three wires that remain must be connected to the switch. has a similar scheme.

Connecting a three-key switch

If you turn the three-key switch backwards, then you can see what is written there and where to connect the wires. When connecting wires, be sure to review the switch instructions. If you mix up the wires, then the lights may not work properly. Typically, on one side of a three-key switch there will be an incoming phase. On the other hand, there will be three outgoing ones that will go to the lighting devices.

If you have three light sources, then with this switch you can create 7 different lighting combinations.

Three-key switch in one housing with socket

When connecting it, it is necessary to separately dwell on the moment of how to connect a three-key switch with a socket in one housing. Thanks to this type of connection, you can significantly save your time in completing this process.

This scheme is practically no different from the previous scheme. The only difference in the circuit will be the presence of an additional neutral wire.

Using a three-key switch with a socket will be justified if your home has exposed electrical wiring. will help you get rid of using this switch.

The choice of a three-key switch will depend only on your wishes. But when choosing it, you need to pay attention to the following details:

There should be no burrs on the top side of the product. They may indicate poor quality of the product.
The keys should work without sticking.
When you turn it on or off, you should clearly hear clicks.
On the back of the product there should be a connection diagram for the product.
All terminals should work normally.
The three-key switch must have butt terminals. They greatly simplify the installation process.

In panel houses, three-key switches with a socket are widely used. They stand in the corridor and control the light in three rooms - the kitchen, bathroom and toilet. The socket here is provided for various household needs, for example, to turn on a vacuum cleaner, razor, hair dryer, etc. A lot of time has passed since they were installed and today they require replacement. Buying such three-key switches with a socket is not difficult, but not everyone can figure out its connection diagram. In this article, I analyze in detail the connection diagram for a three-key switch with a socket, with which you can do everything yourself.

Before starting all work, be sure to turn off the power to the apartment or this line. Safety comes first.

When dismantling the old unit, remember, or better yet, label all the wires that you will disconnect. This will allow you to quickly figure out which wire goes where. In a nutshell about wires - the meaning here is this:

one two-wire wire comes from the distribution box to the switch block and is connected to the socket contacts;
from this socket, from the “phase” contact, there is a jumper to the common contact of the switch block (this is the only black wire in the figure below);
Three phase conductors go from other contacts of the switch block to the lamps.

I think these explanations are not enough, so I drew a diagram for connecting a three-key switch with a socket, where I described everything in detail. Here you pay attention to the drawn lines and don’t pay too much attention to the bunch of wires in the block, since this is an amateur project and the owners of the apartment have powered another outlet. See below...

In the photo above, a plastic box from a new three-key switch with a socket is already mounted into the wall. It fits exactly into the groove made from the old switch. It can be placed on plaster, or it can be attached with dowels. Here the choice is yours.

Here is a photo below without my art. This unit is located in the apartment of a retired family. The wiring here is old and they under no circumstances wanted to change it. Some of the wires were broken and they were extended through single terminal blocks. Next we see a yellow-green wire - this is the “neutral” conductor going to the socket mounted in the kitchen (this is an amateur activity of some electrician).

Below, the switches themselves are already in place. In fact, they do not need to be removed, since there is still access to the contact bolts.

I took them off just for fun...

Now we put the body in place. It is secured with three bolts.

We put the side key...

Now another side key...

At the final stage, set the middle key. That's all, the three-key switch with socket is ready for use. In order to disassemble it and get to the contacts, you need to perform the steps in the reverse order described here.

If these explanations are not enough for you, then read the new material that complements this article: Addition to the article “Wiring diagram for a three-key switch with a socket.” Here I look at two different connection diagrams for such a block and provide detailed explanations.

Let's smile:

Physics teacher - Vovochka:
- What happens if you insert a magnet into a coil and take it out again?
- An induced current occurs in the circuit.
- Right! What if it takes a long time?
- An electrician may be born.

At first glance, connecting a three-key switch may cause difficulties and misunderstanding for a person who does not tinker with electricity every day. There's really nothing complicated about it. If you have ever installed a switch, you know that a single has only one output terminal, and a double has two. So, the three-key switch differs only in that it has three output terminals.

This saves a lot of space on the wall, especially when such a switch is connected to a socket in the housing. Agree, it is very convenient to turn on/off the light from one place in different corners (in the toilet, hallway and bathroom) or adjust the brightness of the light with several light bulbs, different lamps or lighting zones in one room/room. Which, by the way, will help save energy by 20-30%.

How to properly connect a triple switch

Before connecting the three-key switch, be sure to de-energize the network by turning off the machines near the meter. If there is public access to the switches, put a note on it about installation work.

For work you will need:

flat or figured screwdriver;
pliers;
knife or stripper (for greater convenience);
insulating tape;
indicator screwdriver;
WAGO terminal blocks or others.

First you need to disassemble the three-pin switch to get to its terminals. This is done easily: pry the keys themselves with something thin, and then remove the frame. Now let's take a closer look at connecting the triple switch. There should be four wires going to it. This can be a four-core cable, one core of which will be a phase. Although it is more common to see a single-core wire coming out of the wall - a phase - and a three-core wire nearby - for lighting devices. You can determine the phase using an indicator screwdriver.

Connection is done in just three steps:

We connect the neutral wires of all consumers (luminaires) with the neutral supply. In the diagram of the figure they are indicated in blue. To connect the wires, it is convenient and practical to use WAGO terminal blocks, although you can get by with any other or simple twisting, only then do not forget to insulate the connection.
We connect the phase of the supply wire (brown) with the common wire of the light switch (white).
We connect together all the phase wires from the switch and lamps. For a better understanding, we have assembled the entire circuit according to color coding (green with green, etc.).

Note! Only the phase wire should go to the input of the three-key switch! If zero is interrupted, the light bulbs will also work, but then the electrical wiring will remain energized when in the off position. This means that even when replacing the lamp there will always be a risk of electric shock.

The wires in the switch are secured with clamping screws. No more than 5-10 mm of insulation is removed from the cable so that there are no exposed wires. If the wire is stranded, use special NShVI lugs so that it does not break off when tightening the screws.

That's all. As a result, our connection diagram for a three-key switch has been assembled. All that remains is to mount it into the socket box, open it with screws and install the lining with the keys in place.

By the way, the version of a multi-pole switch with a socket has almost the same circuit. The only difference is that a separate neutral wire is supplied to the socket, and the phase is common. It can be connected either by parallel cables (separately to the socket and separately to the switch), or by one cable (by a jumper from the socket output to the common contact of the switch). The figure below shows the second connection diagram.

Note! Surface mounted switches are produced for installation on fragile walls or wooden surfaces. They are also suitable for temporary use.

Some rules:

Carefully inspect the device in the store. All three keys should work smoothly, without jamming, with characteristic clicks.
There should be no abrasions, scratches or cracks on the outside.
It is preferable to take breakers with a block base made of ceramic or thick metal. They can withstand overheating and high voltage better, unlike plastic.
Pay attention to the degree of protection of the shell, if, of course, this matters to you. It is marked with the letters IP and two numbers. The first digit is protection from foreign objects: 0, 1 – not used in everyday life; 2 – finger protection; 3 – protection against penetration of wires and tools with a diameter of up to 2.5 mm; 4 – protection from small parts (wire, pins, etc.); 5, 6 – dust-proof models. The second digit is moisture protection: 0 – absent; 1, 2 – protection from vertically falling drops of water; 3, 4 – for the street; 5, 6 – protection from strong jets (shower, ship, etc.); 7, 8 – can withstand immersion in water, but such models are almost never found.
Do not forget that three-position switches are made with backlight. They are very convenient if you need to turn on or control lights in the dark. This way you will see which key is enabled and which is not. Illuminated switches come in one and two positions.

Note! To illuminate long corridors, stairs or houses with several floors, three-key pass-through switches are produced. They allow you to turn on the light in one place, for example, on the first floor, and turn it off on the second. Agree - it’s convenient, because you don’t have to sneak around in the dark and feel for the keys with your hand. True, they should connect a little differently, but this is a topic for a separate article.

These are not all models of triple switches that can be found in electrical stores. There are decorative (colored, cherry, wood, etc.), waterproof, childproof, USB output, LED backlit and many other options.

Household switches available on today's switching equipment market differ in both appearance and design, which may vary depending on the intended operating conditions.

Three-key (triple) household switches are usually used in rooms with a non-standard configuration, in cases where it is necessary to control the lighting of several rooms from one node, or when there are several levels of lighting in the room.

This type of switches, due to their design, provide certain advantages over conventional two-key and single-key switches:

simplify the installation of wiring in structures (walls);
reduce material consumption and improve the overall appearance of the premises.

Due to the more frequent use of this type of equipment, the average life of such devices is 8-10 years and, as a rule, fail due to mechanical (destruction of the housing, fasteners) and electrical (destruction of contacts) breakdowns.

It should be noted that any type of malfunction leads to the need to replace the entire device, which, by the way, must be carried out by a qualified specialist while observing all electrical safety rules.

Fig 1. Visual and schematic diagram of connecting a three-key light switch

Design features

There are a huge variety of manufacturers of triple switches, as is the case with other switches, the differences between them exist only in the design and materials used.

There are usually no significant differences in design. Like all switches, the triple one consists of protective elements (frame and keys) and a working mechanism (key drive). The keys and frame are made of special heat-resistant plastic; the keys are designed for direct switching on and off.

The frame is attached to the mechanism using special latches or screws; the switch itself is installed in the socket box (if the device is internal) using special spacers. The main components of the working mechanism are the key drive, to which plastic keys and contacts are connected.

The triple switch has 4 contacts, 3 of which go to the lamps and one to the power supply wire (Figure 3). The contacts are usually made of copper, the thickness is selected according to the expected current strength in the wires.

It is worth noting that the manufacturer usually provides the appropriate designations on the device elements, including operating voltage and permissible current. By the way, some manufacturers achieve even greater savings by combining a switch with a socket in one housing.

Figure 3. Triple switch design

Switch connection

Let us remind you that using a three-button switch makes sense in places with several zones and lighting levels. Despite the minor differences in design between switches with one and several keys, the correct connection of the device still plays an important role.

In order to connect the described light switch, you will need a small set of tools and materials, including:

pliers;
Phillips or flathead screwdrivers;
knife or other (stripper);
insulating tape;
WAGO, if you use soldering instead of twists.

Let's start with the fact that 4 wires should come directly into the switch itself: one supply (phase) network wire from the distribution board or box and three wires from the lighting lamps.

In the described device, as mentioned above, there are 4 contacts: one input, to which the supply phase of the network is connected, and 3 phase contacts of the connected lamps, to which the phase wires of the lamps are directly connected.

The neutral wire of the network is connected to the neutral wires of the lamps either in the distribution panel or, again, in the distribution box.

When connecting a wire to the input contact of the switch, it is important to create a break in the phase wire of the network and not confuse it with the “zero”. Essentially, by connecting the neutral wire of the network to the input contact of the switch, thereby creating a break in it, the device will perform the work required of it.

But in this case, there is a danger of electric shock, since even with the switch turned off, all wiring will be energized. It should also be noted that when replacing failed lamps, there is a risk of being energized if the lighting device is not connected to the ground loop.

The figure below shows a schematic diagram of connecting a triple switch to the network. The connection of this type of switching equipment is regulated in the main document for electricians - PUE.

Figure 4. Schematic diagram of connecting a light switch with three keys

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Today we want to tell you how to connect a three-key switch using the example of lighting in the kitchen, bathroom and toilet.

Before you begin installing a three-key light switch, you need to purchase the following materials:

Power 3- and 4-core cable with a core cross-section of 1.5 mm² (for example, produced by KZ KABEX). If the shield is not connected to protective grounding or the housings of the lamps that will be installed are made of plastic, you will need a 2-core cable without a grounding conductor (for example, produced by KZ KABEX);
. connection box with a diameter of 100 mm;
. mounting box in which the 3-key switch will be installed;
. 3-key switch;
. installation and fastening accessories (clamps, markings, terminals, etc.);
. lamps.

In addition, to mount a three-key switch and lay the cable, you must have the following tools:

Tools for making “grooves” in the wall (wall cutter or grinder with a diamond blade and a hammer drill with a flat blade, as well as crowns for round holes);
. a screwdriver with a set of attachments or a set of screwdrivers;
. screwdriver with indication or tester (multimeter);
. assembly knife and pliers or tool for removing insulation;

When performing electrical installation work, it is important to follow safety regulations. Therefore, before starting work, it is necessary to turn off the voltage: move the circuit breaker lever (AB) to the lower position and check for the presence of voltage. To do this, use the indicator to touch the unconnected terminal of the machine. If the voltage is turned off, the LED located in the screwdriver will not light up. If the indicator lights up, then there is still voltage, and this may indicate a malfunction of the machine. In this case, you must contact a qualified specialist who will replace the protective device.

When using the tester, you must first set the switch to measure alternating voltage (indicated by “~V” or “ACV”) and set 750 V. After this, touch the circuit breaker terminal with one probe, and the neutral bus with the other. If the value “0” on the indicator has not changed, there is no voltage and you can proceed with installation; if the value is above zero, you must contact a qualified specialist who will replace the protective device.

After making sure that power is not supplied, you can move on to the next stage - preparatory construction work. Using a wall chaser or grinder and a hammer drill, first, vertical and horizontal special grooves are made - grooves, and also holes are made for installing junction and mounting boxes. It should be noted that it is recommended to install a three-key light switch at a height of 0.9-1.5 m above the floor level. Also, when choosing the place where the 3-key switch will be installed, it is necessary to take into account the following factor - access to the switch should not be hampered by an open door.

After the preliminary work has been completed, you can begin laying the cable to connect the three-key switch. We lay a 3-core cable from the switchboard to the junction box, leaving a margin of approximately 10-15 cm at the end. It is necessary to leave a margin so that in case of damage, it is possible to reconnect, connect or branch the cable cores.

Connection in the electrical panel

Using a construction knife, pliers or a special tool for stripping the cable, we strip the cable and connect its cores according to the following diagram:

Circuit breaker terminal (phase) - wire of white or natural (gray) color;
. free terminal of the zero bus (working zero) - blue (light blue) wire;
. the free terminal of the grounding bus (grounding) is a yellow-green wire.

In the junction box, the sheath and insulation are also removed. For ease of identification, it is recommended to mark the cable cores with special markers. The best way to mark it is as follows:

Gray or white wire (phase) - marked “L”
. blue wire (working zero) - marked “N”;
. yellow-green wire (grounding) - marked “PE”.

Connection diagram for a three-key switch and its installation

To correctly connect a three-key light switch, you will need a 4-core cable with any core color except yellow-green (for example, produced by KZ "KABEX", manufactured according to GOST 31996, with insulation in white (gray), brown, black and blue) .

From the distribution box to the place where the three-key switch is supposed to be installed, we lay a 4-core cable in the groove in this way: we clean the cable sheath and cores on both sides, and for easy identification of the cores we mark:

White (gray) core - marked “L” (main phase from the switchboard to the circuit breaker);
. brown wire - marked “L1” (phase for the first lamp);
. black core - marked “L2” (phase for the second lamp);
. blue wire - marked “L3” (phase for the third lamp).

Before starting work, you need to decide how to connect the three-key switch. To do this, you need to look at the back of the switch. On the back side there is a connection diagram for a three-key switch, from which you can understand which terminal should be connected to which cable. Most often, the connection of a three-key switch is carried out as follows: we connect the white (gray) core marked “L” to the upper terminal of the switch, and the cores marked “L1”, “L1” and “L3”, respectively, to the lower terminals. After connecting the cable cores to the appropriate terminals, the 3-key switch can be secured in the installation box using the switch claws or special screws.

Connecting lighting fixtures

To connect lamps that will be controlled via a three-key light switch, you will need a 3-core cable (for example, produced by KZ "KABEX", manufactured according to GOST 31996, with insulation in white (gray), blue and yellow-green colors).

From the distribution box to the place where the first lamp is supposed to be installed, the above cable is laid in a groove, as well as in a pipe installed in the ceiling. To pull the cable through the pipe, it is recommended to use a galvanized cable with a polymer coating. After this, you need to strip the cable on both sides and mark the wires:

The core is white (gray) - marked “L1” (phase of the first lamp);
. blue wire - marked “N” (zero);
. yellow-green wire - marked “PE” (grounding).

After fixing the lamp, you can connect it. If the strands of the lamp wire are multi-wire, then they must first be crimped using lugs. After this you can connect:

. blue cable core - lamp wire of the same color (blue or light blue);
. yellow-green cable core (grounding) - a special bolted connection on the lamp body or yellow-green lamp wire;
. the white (gray) core is the remaining wire. Most often this is a wire with black or brown insulation.

The connection of the remaining lamps is carried out in the same way as the first lamp, with one difference - the white (gray) wires are marked “L2” and “L3” (luminaire phase 2 and 3, respectively).

After we have completed the installation and connection of the lamps, we return to the distribution box, in which the cores with the same markings must be combined into groups and connected using soldering, welding or terminal connectors (for example, self-clamping or Wago screw terminals).

If you do not have grounding, or the housings of the lighting fixtures are made of plastic or other non-conducting material, then the connection diagram for the three-key switch remains the same. However, to connect cables with a grounding conductor (3-core) it is necessary to replace them with 2-core cables, for example, cable.

After all the work is completed, a frame and keys are installed on the switch mechanism, and lamps and shades are inserted into the luminaires.

The video, which is attached at the beginning of this article, clearly shows the connection of a three-key switch and three lamps.

Application Feature

A person, without realizing it, uses many more light sources than he actually needs. The level of lighting that he involuntarily uses may be half as much. If a person stops consuming excess electricity and turning off unnecessary light bulbs, this will save up to 30% of the electricity used. It is precisely for these cases that the triple switch shown in the photo below is used. A three-key device is usually connected to a chandelier to control any type of lighting: decorative, main and additional. Most often, the main lighting is used, and the remaining keys are used as needed.

Installation instructions

So, the connection diagram for a three-key light switch looks like this:

Six wires go from the light bulbs to the junction box. Three of them are interconnected and connected to the neutral conductor (this working zero comes from the shield, blue). Those three wires from the junction box that remain unused are connected to the outputs of the device. Then, from the distribution box you need to connect a phase that will be the same for the three light sources. The connection is made to the switch. If grounding is provided, the yellow-green wires from the lamps also need to be connected to each other. It is recommended to make all connections using .

This diagram clearly shows how a three-key type of switch can be connected and how a certain light bulb lights up when the contact is closed:

The video instructions clearly show how to connect a triple light switch to the network:

The video example below provides step-by-step instructions for connecting a triple model with a socket:

That's all I wanted to tell you on this issue. We hope that the provided connection diagram for a three-key light switch, as well as the installation instructions, were useful for you and helped you complete the electrical installation yourself!

The most common electrical device in common areas is, along with the socket, the switch. The most common among them are single-key and two-key. But there are situations in which it is necessary to install a triple switch. This article will tell you how to make the correct connection of both the device itself and the lamps.

There are a great many options, but you should focus on the two most popular solutions:

Wiring for connecting the bathroom, toilet and kitchen (if the latter is located far away, a separate switch is connected to it. Instead, it is advisable to use the third key to illuminate the corridor);
Branching of multi-arm chandeliers. This makes it possible to save electricity, in which it is possible to turn on the lamps in three specific lampshades (or groups of lampshades), thus directing the luminous flux in the desired direction. The solution is a budget replacement for dimmers, the cost of which is still several times higher than the cost of a switch.

The process of cabling and installation of the main and associated electrical installation devices will be completely different. However, the scheme is unchanged. Let's assume for simplicity that there are three lamps available.

Each of them has two wires for connection. There are also 2 wires from the supply network - zero and phase. The phase wire is sent to a single terminal of the switch, the zero wire is sent to the direct line, from the zero bus to the lamps. From each lamp, one wire will go to each of the remaining switch terminals, depending on which of the lamps the specific key will be responsible for. The second contacts from the light bulbs must be connected to the neutral bus to the already connected neutral wire. Three lamps are working, the task is completed. More detailed information on how to connect a three-key switch for the above options is below.

Connecting a switch for three rooms

The process of carrying out electrical work in a house or apartment is approximately 95 percent - installation of electrical installation products and cables, as well as preparation of surfaces. The remaining five are taken up by the connection process. Therefore (and especially) in the case of a 3-key switch, you need to design the entire plan before starting work.

Having chosen a place for switches, lamps and a junction box in which the zero bus will be installed, you need to worry about the question of how to route the cable:

In a private house, special fasteners with nails, as well as various corrugated hoses, are used for this. The option with cable channels is becoming increasingly popular, as they are very diverse in appearance - from simple white to wood-colored options and the like;
In apartments, using the above options is not the best solution from an aesthetic point of view. Therefore, there you need to ditch the walls and thus obtain a channel for cable wiring, fasten it into pre-prepared holes with special dowels and cover it with cement or other mixture.

If the plan is worked out, it is necessary to run the cable from the electrical panel. We lead the phase conductor from the circuit breaker, the zero conductor from the zero bus.

Having reached the junction box, it is necessary to connect all the neutral wires together, if this has not been done previously. In our case, a zero bus of 4 slots and above will help. One slot for entry and three for exit. Then the single-core neutral wires will go one at a time directly to each of the lamps and take up space in one of its terminals.

The phase wire is not divided in the box - the triple switch serves this purpose. The core goes to the common contact of the switch, which is usually located at the bottom. There will already be 3 single-core wires coming out from the top, which are sent along prepared grooves to connect the circuit on each of the lamps.

Separately, it should be noted that for the purpose of connecting kitchens or hallways, as well as bathrooms and toilet rooms, a more popular and reasonable solution is a switch block with a socket. It is connected in the same way as a 3-key switch, except that the phase wire to the key terminals will not come directly from the electrical panel (distribution box), but first to the socket, and from there it will be divided into sections for each key. For this type of switch, you need to pull up one more wire, along which another zero will fit for the socket. Zero will also pass first through the second contact of the socket.

Connecting chandeliers

The choice of chandeliers nowadays is so diverse that it is really difficult for the consumer to choose the best one. There are amazing design options that have six, eight, ten and even more light bulb sockets, so using a single-button switch for them is simply unreasonable from an energy saving point of view. Of course, there is a compromise - dimmers, that is, soft start switches with a regulator, by rotating which you can achieve the desired brightness of the lamp. But, firstly, they are much more expensive, and secondly, energy-saving lamps from such a connection fail immediately (if you do not use special energy-saving lamps for dimmers, but this already costs a lot of money).

For a more optimal understanding of the process, let’s assume that we have a six-arm chandelier. The problem is how to connect a three-key switch so that each key lights up two chandelier arms. Turning the chandelier upside down will most likely reveal two wires from each arm. They are usually color coded, such as red and blue. We collect all the blue wires into a bundle, connecting them in this way. This is an analogue of the zero bus from the first case. With red (or black, white - the color of the phase wire can vary widely, but it is definitely not blue), the situation is also not difficult, you just need to take two wires from those horns that should light up together from a specific key, and connect them between yourself.

The wires to the switch are similar to the first option, and each phase wire now needs to be run through the ceiling into the chandelier plate, where it is connected to those groups of wires that are responsible for specific sockets. The neutral wire also passes into the chandelier and, using tinned twisting or special terminals, is connected to a ready-made bundle of blue contacts.

Conclusion

The applications described above are popular, but not the only ones. According to the simple diagram described, it will be easy to connect blocks with four or more switches; the only difference will be that there will be as many phase wires as the number of keys the device contains. If the diagram of a three-key switch is difficult to understand from the text, the Internet provides many training videos. Having done this work once, there will be no problems understanding the process. One can only be surprised at how easy and simple things turn out to be.

Before starting all work, be sure to turn off the power to the apartment or this line. Safety comes first.

one two-wire wire comes from the distribution box to the switch block and is connected to the socket contacts;
from this socket, from the “phase” contact, there is a jumper to the common contact of the switch block (this is the only black wire in the figure below);
Three phase conductors go from other contacts of the switch block to the lamps.