[IKNOWNOTHING]

I want to replace my hall lights, from up and down toggles switches to the flat plate toggle. I have a switch at each end of the hallway. I purchased a Leviton switch that has 2 connectors and a green ground. The switches in my existing boxes have black, white, red and a ground. What do I need to do to make the two switches work together?

Any help would be appreciated!


IK

[tkrussell]

What do you mean by switch that has 2 connectors?

Does the switch only have two brass terminals? Any green screw is the ground.

If so, you have a single pole switch, you need to purchase a 3- way switch, one that has three wire terminals, two brass and one black or dark colored.

Before you take the other switches apart, very inportant you note which color wire is connected to the black screw, lableled "common".

Not important which of the two remaining wires get connected to the brass terminals.

If you don't know which of the black,red, or white wire is the common, you now have a problem trying to fiqure out which is which.

Any one can be the common, usually is the black, but not set in stone.

[IKNOWNOTHING]

Thanks. I meant that the switch I purchased has two wire connectors on the right side and the green ground on the left. Do I need to purchase two three way switches, to use at either ends of the hall? It may sound confusing, but I only want to replace the switches with new ones!
The old ones are three ways, because they don't have on/off on the toggles.
What should I do?

Thanks again,
IK

[tkrussell]

Yes you need to have new 3 way switches on hand. The new switches you have will not work at all.