4-Way Switch wiring

We cannot see the product you are asking about
Example single throw switch is household light switch ..., flip the switch either direction and load turns on-off.
Example double pole switch is 240 volt double breaker... flip the breaker and two wires turn on-off.
Example triple pole switch is any 3 phase contactor or 3 phase timer ... flip the switch and three wires turn on-off

http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-switches.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-circuit-breaker.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/3-Pole-contactors.html

Gene

Water Heater Timers Save Money

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

pretty sure its the 3 speed pull chain switch.$4.50 to $6.00 at home depot or lowes or hardware/elecrtical store.
how 2 replace switch.
1.turn off breaker to fan/fan lights,probably that whole room.
may need extension cord & floor lamp from closest room with electric, so u can see.
2.need 6ft step ladder to get up to fan.look see how to get to fan speed switch. speed switch unscrews from outside but body of switch is inside fan cover.
3. need to take fan off ceiling to replace switch.
4.switch has 4 wires, power feed into switch and 3 selector
wires that go to high speed winding,medium speed winding and low speed winding.
speed selector switch has 4 settings, off, low,medium,high.

about ac circuits , black wire is 120 volts, hot.
white wires are neutral return wire. an ac voltmeter will read 120volts ac with its red and black probes between black,hot and
white,neutral.
white= neutal=ground which is green. If wired properly and polarity was observed, white and green ground wires both connect to the neutral ground buss bar in the circuit breaker panel box and are the same electrical point.

black wires,and the selector handle getting the hot juice into the fan and white returns the used juice to the circuit breaker panel box.
If polarity was observed, you can touch white and ground without getting a shock.
black will jolt or even fry you dead, so make sure the breaker to the fan is off, so that the circuit is de-energized before you touch it.

PLEASE NOTE--- make drawing on paper of what color wires from the fan motor go to what color wires on the selector switch.
If the switch has 4 black wires, you need to put different color electrical tape as a marker, on each wire. or ,to be cheap, you can use white paper,scissors to cut paper,and pencil and write 1,2,3,4 on the paper and tape to the 4 switch wires.

that is: wire # 1 from the switch goes to the black wire from the wall--ac hot
wire #2 from switch goes to yellow fan motor winding,
wire # 3 from switch goes to orange wire from fan motor

wires are specific and NOT interchangeable.

go to www.ehow.com & type into search engine box
how to replace fan motor speed selector switch.

If new, then it could be faulty. If old, then may have water damage.

POSSIBLE CAUSE
1. Light switch is turned off.
2. Flood lamp is loose or burned out.
3. Fuse is blown or circuit breaker is turned off.
4. Daylight turn-off is in effect.
5. Incorrect circuit wiring, if this is a new installation.
6. Light control aimed in wrong direction.

SOLUTION
1. Turn light switch on.
2. Check flood lamp and replace if burned out.
3. Replace fuse or turn circuit breaker on.
4. Recheck after dark.
5. Verify wiring is correct.
6. Re-aim light control to cover desired area.

You have 3 cables entering the box.
Each cable has black and white and ground wire.
You have a single pole switch.
The switch has 2 brass-colored screws and 1 green-colored screw.

1) One thing is certain: all the ground wires connect together and then connect to green screw on switch.

2) After that, we are guessing without more information.
Add a comment.

3) What does the switch control?

4) If the switch controls a hallway light, and there is another switch for the same light: then you have wrong switch. You need 3-way switch. Buy 3-way switch and re-post question at fixya.

5) If switch controls a bath fan-light combo, repost question at fixya.

6) If the switch controls a regular light, and no other switch is involved: then the following information might work. Or you need to do testing and re-post another question at fixya.

-White wires probably connect together and are covered with a wire nut.

-Then two black wires connect to one brass screw and 1 black wire connects to other brass screw.

-But which black wire?

-Only one of the black wires has power from circuit breaker. That is hot wire.
-Hot wire connects to 1st brass screw on switch. Either screw.

-And then connect one of the other black wires to 2nd brass screw. Turn on power and see if light turns on.
-Try other black wire same way.
-The black wire(s) that turn on lights on should be left connected to 2nd brass screw.
-If one black wire did not turn on lights, then that wire probably connects to 1st brass screw along with hot wire.

Test your wires.
Somehow you've got a neutral wire, or ground wire, or shorted wire connected to one of the switches.
Without a wiring diagram, best place to start is identify hot wire from breaker.
There should be only 1 hot wire connected to the switches.
Disconnect the hot wire. Then test hot wire to each other wire and screw terminal. Tester will light up on neutral or ground fault. That will narrow down the suspects.

Open following link for example 3-way wiring diagram:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-Cooper-277-pilot-light-switch.html#3-way

Screw terminals are color-coded on each switch. They vary by device.

Green screw always ground
Silver screw always neutral > except some 4 ways switches
Brass screw is hot > can be hot from breaker or hot wire going to load > or in 3-way switch can be hot traveler wires from other 3-way switch
Dark screw is hot > can be hot from breaker > or in 3-way switch is hot going to load

Single-pole switch:
2 brass screws > hot and load wires connect to either screw

3-way switch:
2 brass screws connect to travelers
dark screw goes to hot from breaker and hot to load

Switch-plug combo and pilot light switches:
dark screw goes to hot from breaker
silver screw to neutral, brass screw goes to load

Double switch:
dark screw goes to hot from breaker
brass screws each go to load

Receptacles:
brass screw goes to hot from breaker and to hot going to next receptacle
silver screw goes to neutral and to neutral going to next receptacle.

If I understand correctly, you are replacing a switch with the EJ500 timer.
You mention a 'plug'

The EJ500 has 3 wires: Black Red Blue.
If you are replacing a single-pole switch:
The switch has 2 wires, one of these wires is the Hot-from-breaker and the other wire goes to Load:
Timer-black connects to Hot-from-breaker.
Timer-blue connects to wire-going-to-Load.
Timer-red wire is capped off. Red is not used for single pole switch.
If you connect wires and your lights blink, then you put the red wire where the blues wire should go.
If you connect wires and lights do not operate, try reversing the blue and black wires.

I posted images of EJ500 wiring (the Intermatic EJ500 and ST01C have identical wiring
http://waterheatertimer.org/ST01C-program.html#ST01C

If you are replacing a 3-way switch, the wiring is more complicated.
The EJ500 can not replace a 3-way switch wire-for-wire.
Diagrams on link above show wiring for 3-way.
Add a comment if you need more help.

If the product is as pictured, (two single pole switches in the space of a single switch), then it probably has 4 terminal screws (in addition to the ground). Look closely at the terminals on one side of the switch. If two terminal screws are brass colored and two are silver colored, look on the brass colored side. There is probably a strip of metal that connects the two terminals together - this is what is keeping your light "on". You need to move one of these wires to the other side of the switch. I assume the other switch operates OK and you only have 3 wires (besides the ground). On the other hand, if you have a total of 4 wires, then one of the wires is probably for powering something else (an outlet, or even another switch that is not supposed to be controlled by this switch). You will probably find that other device is currently being controlled by this switch. You will have to swap two wires, but without more info I can't tell you which ones.
If you found this helpful, please vote.

Now you need to know a few things before you trying this, #1 Where the Circuit breaker for the lighting you are working on is located. #2 which wire is your power/hot wire going in to your switch. #3 which wire is going directly to the light. #4 what a neutral/return wire is. #5 some general electronic terms.

If you do not understand or if you cannot understand the above paragraph Please seek the help of a qualified/licensed election.

Well the reason the wall timer has 4 wires, is that it IS NOT just a Switch. It is in fact an election device. It requires Power (your Black Wire), a Return (your White wire), and a Ground (your Green wire). It also has a Output (your Red wire), this output wire controls your light (turns it on or off).

IF you’re still with me?

#1 turn OFF the Circuit breaker for the lighting you are working

#2 Take a part the light switch box for the light you are working on (only disassemble as far as necessary)

#3 Take your Ground wire and hook it up to the ground within the same location.

#4 Take your Return wire and hook-it-up to the nearest return wire within the same location.
#5 Take the black wire on the wall timer and hook-it-up to the Hot/Power wire.
#6 Take your Output wire and hook-it-up to the wire going directly to the light.
#7 Inspect your work to make sure there are no shorts, no unconnected/terminated wires in your light switch box.
#8 Before placing everything back tougher turn ON the Circuit breaker for the lighting you are working then run a test.
#9 OFF the Circuit breaker, then inspect your work to make sure there are no shorts, no unconnected/terminated wires in your light switch box.

#10 If everything is working then place everything back tougher. Then turn ON the Circuit breaker.

#11 If you did not have your Circuit breaker pop/turn off the lighting you were working, your dun.

you start out running power to the first 3 way switch. then go to 3 wire and run that to the next switch which has to be a 4 way switch. Then you run 3 wire to the last switch which is another 3 way switch. then you run 2 wire to the light. Imagine the 3 way as being a Y and the 4 way as being an X and you can see how the current will flow through the circuit. Hope this helps you, Jeepfxr