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Post Closed as "Not suitable for this site" by DoxyLover, JACK, ThreePhaseEel
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mattalxndr
mattalxndr
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Then we switch Switch A ON and the light comes on. Traditionally, this is what one might might expect the light to turn on, and Switch B to stay in the OFF position:

 |---------|     |---------|             |
 |         |     |         |     \     _____     /
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  | x |  |     |  |   |  |        (         )
 |  |   |  |     |  | x |  |    -   ( ))))))) )   -
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|      /    |___|    \
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
  -ON pos. -        OFF pos.            -ON-

Problem is,But this configuration has a drawback: I can't look at or feel theeither switch and know what state the light is in. Also, each time I go to flip the switch ON, I have to look and see if I should flip it to the ON or OFF position.

I know these seem like tiny issues, but add in the time you spend wishing these switches were designed better, then multiply that by the million times in your life that you flip a house switch.

 |---------|     |---------|             |
 |         |     |         |     \     _____     /
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  | x |  |     |  | x |  |        (         )
 |  |   |  |     |  |   |  |    -   ( ))))))) )   -
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|      /    |___|    \
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
  ON pos.         -ON  pos. -           ON

Then we switch Switch A ON and the light comes on. Traditionally, this is what one might expect:

 |---------|     |---------|             |
 |         |     |         |     \     _____     /
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  | x |  |     |  |   |  |        (         )
 |  |   |  |     |  | x |  |    -   ( ))))))) )   -
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|      /    |___|    \
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
  ON pos.         OFF pos.            ON

Problem is, I can't look at or feel the switch and know what state the light is in.

 |---------|     |---------|             |
 |         |     |         |     \     _____     /
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  | x |  |     |  | x |  |        (         )
 |  |   |  |     |  |   |  |    -   ( ))))))) )   -
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|      /    |___|    \
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
  ON pos.         ON  pos.            ON

Then we switch Switch A ON and the light comes on. Traditionally one might expect the light to turn on, and Switch B to stay in the OFF position:

 |---------|     |---------|             |
 |         |     |         |     \     _____     /
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  | x |  |     |  |   |  |        (         )
 |  |   |  |     |  | x |  |    -   ( ))))))) )   -
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|      /    |___|    \
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
 -ON pos.-        OFF pos.           -ON-

But this configuration has a drawback: I can't look at or feel either switch and know what state the light is in. Also, each time I go to flip the switch ON, I have to look and see if I should flip it to the ON or OFF position.

I know these seem like tiny issues, but add in the time you spend wishing these switches were designed better, then multiply that by the million times in your life that you flip a house switch.

 |---------|     |---------|             |
 |         |     |         |     \     _____     /
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  | x |  |     |  | x |  |        (         )
 |  |   |  |     |  |   |  |    -   ( ))))))) )   -
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|      /    |___|    \
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
  ON pos.        -ON  pos.-           ON
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mattalxndr
mattalxndr
  • 233
  • 3
  • 7

A three-way switch that keeps state with the other switch

Is there a three way switch that will physically change the state of the other switch so it's in the updated position?

Let's say both switches are physically off, and the light is off:

 |---------|     |---------|              
 |         |     |         |           _____      
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  |   |  |     |  |   |  |        (         )
 |  | x |  |     |  | x |  |        ( ))))))) )    
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|           |___|     
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
  OFF pos.        OFF pos.            OFF

Then we switch Switch A ON and the light comes on. Traditionally, this is what one might expect:

 |---------|     |---------|             |
 |         |     |         |     \     _____     /
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  | x |  |     |  |   |  |        (         )
 |  |   |  |     |  | x |  |    -   ( ))))))) )   -
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|      /    |___|    \
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
  ON pos.         OFF pos.            ON

Problem is, I can't look at or feel the switch and know what state the light is in.

In my ideal world, the unmanned switch (Switch B) would flip itself up to the ON position, to accurately reflect the actual state of the light:

 |---------|     |---------|             |
 |         |     |         |     \     _____     /
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         /       \
 |  | x |  |     |  | x |  |        (         )
 |  |   |  |     |  |   |  |    -   ( ))))))) )   -
 |  |---|  |     |  |---|  |         \ \   / /
 |         |     |         |          \|___|/
 |---------|     |---------|      /    |___|    \
                                       
  Switch A        Switch B            Light
  ON pos.         ON  pos.            ON

Does such a thing exist or will I need to invent it?