At first glance, connecting a three-gang switch can cause difficulties and misunderstanding for a person who does not deal with electricity every day. In fact, there is nothing complicated in this. If you have ever installed a switch, you know that in a single one there is only one output terminal, and in a double one there are two. So, the three-key switch differs only in that it has as many as 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, corridor and bathroom) or adjust the brightness of the light with several bulbs, different lamps or lighting zones in one room / room. Which, by the way, will help save electricity by 20-30%.

How to connect a triple switch correctly

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

For work you will need:

• flat or curly 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 a triple switch. There should be four wires going to it. It can be a four-core cable at once, one core of which will be a phase. Although more common is the exit from the wall of a single-core wire - a phase - and a three-core one nearby - for lighting devices. You can determine the phase using an indicator screwdriver.

Connection is done in just three steps:

1. We connect the neutral wires of all consumers (luminaires) with a zero supply. They are marked in blue in the figure. It is convenient and practical to use WAGO terminal blocks to connect wires, although you can get by with any other or simple twisting, only then do not forget to insulate the connection.
2. We connect the phase of the supply wire (brown) with the common wire of the light switch (white).
3. We connect together all the phase wires from the switch and fixtures. For a better understanding, we have compiled the entire scheme in accordance with the color coding (green with green, etc.).

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

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

That's all. As a result, our three-gang switch connection diagram is assembled. It remains to mount it in the socket, unfasten it with screws and install the lining with the keys in place.

By the way, the version of the multipole switch with a socket has almost the same circuit. The only difference is that a separate neutral wire is connected to the outlet, 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 outlet to the common contact of the switch). The figure below shows the diagram of the second connection.

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

Some rules:

1. Carefully inspect the device in the store. All three keys should work smoothly, without jamming, with characteristic clicks.
2. There should be no scuffs, scratches or cracks on the outside.
3. It is preferable to take breakers with a block base made of ceramic or thick metal. They better withstand overheating and high stress, unlike plastic.
4. 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 against foreign objects: 0, 1 - not used in everyday life; 2 - protection against getting a finger; 3 - protection against ingress of wires and tools with a diameter of up to 2.5 mm; 4 - protection against small parts (wire, pins, etc.); 5, 6 - dustproof models. The second digit is moisture protection: 0 - absent; 1, 2 - protection against vertically falling drops of water; 3, 4 - for the street; 5, 6 - protection from strong jets (shower, ship, etc.); 7, 8 - withstand immersion in water, but such models are almost never found.
5. Do not forget that switches are made for three positions with illumination. They are very handy if you need to turn on or control the 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-gang 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 - this is convenient, because you do not need to sneak 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, child-resistant, USB output, LED backlit and many other options.