When wiring a three-way switch, which terminal is identified with a color different from the others?

When wiring a three-way switch, which terminal is identified with a color different from the others?

• A. Traveler
• B. Common
• C. Ground
• D. Neutral

Answer: (B)

In a three-way switch setup, one terminal is singled out by a color different from the other two. That distinctively colored terminal is the common terminal. It is the connection point for either the incoming hot feed or the switched hot that goes to the light, depending on how the circuit is wired. The two remaining terminals are travelers that create the alternate path between the two switches. Ground and neutral have their own separate wiring colors (ground is green or bare, neutral is typically white) and are not part of the traveler pair. So the terminal with the different color is the common terminal.

In a three-way switch setup, one terminal is singled out by a color different from the other two. That distinctively colored terminal is the common terminal. It is the connection point for either the incoming hot feed or the switched hot that goes to the light, depending on how the circuit is wired. The two remaining terminals are travelers that create the alternate path between the two switches. Ground and neutral have their own separate wiring colors (ground is green or bare, neutral is typically white) and are not part of the traveler pair. So the terminal with the different color is the common terminal.