On 6/18/2013 10:33 AM, nestork wrote:

Robert:

I'm thinking that your best bet might be to simply replace your 4 way
switches with ones that have either lighted toggles or toggles of a
different colour than the rest of the switches in each "bank" of
switches. That will at least set them apart visually, so you're brain
recognizes that those switches are different, and the toggle being in
the up position doesn't mean that anything is "ON".

I'm not familiar with 4 way switches, but with 3 way switches there
really is no "OFF" position like you have with ordinary switches. With
3 way switches, you have two different "ON" positions where the switch
sends power down one conductor or another depending on the toggle
position, but no "OFF" position. But, in that case, toggle down doesn't
mean the light is off since whether or not electricity flows depends on
the position of BOTH three way switches, not just the position of one
three way switch.


4way switches are installed anywhere on the traveler pair between the
two 3way switches. You need two 3way switches to make a circuit with the
power coming in at one 3way switch and the fixture connected at the
other 3way switch. The position of the toggle on one 3way switch feeds
power to or selects which wire in the traveler pair the fixture is
connected to. 4way switches can be installed anywhere on the traveler
pair between the two 3way switches since the 4way switch is like an X
across the pair and swaps the feed from one wire in the pair to the
other wire in the pair. I found an easy to understand illustrated web
page that will help you. ^_^

http://users.wfu.edu/matthews/course.../switches.html

TDD