Multiway switching

Common card · No. 441977

In building wiring, multiway switching is the interconnection of two or more electrical switches to control an electrical load from more than one location. A common application is in lighting, where it allows the control of lamps from multiple locations, for example in a hallway, stairwell, or large room. In contrast to a simple light switch, which is a single-pole, single-throw (SPST) switch, multiway switching uses switches with one or more additional contacts and two or more wires are run between the switches. When the load is controlled from only two points, then single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) switches are used. Double-pole, double-throw (DPDT) switches allow control from three or more locations. In alternative designs, low-voltage relay or electronic controls can be used to switch electrical loads, sometimes without the extra power wires.

Read on Wikipedia