As we learned in previous articles, an electrical switch is a device manufactured to stop the flow of current through an electrical circuit. We will find many types of these switches, and in this article we will show you four types of main switches that can be used in home installations.

Types of switches

Single pole switch

Single-pole switches are electrical machines that, in home lighting, have two modes: on and off. In one of the two positions, the current is allowed to pass and in the other the current is stopped. A single pole switch is used to control a single light point from a single location in dry rooms.

In single-pole light switches: only the power (phase) cable is interrupted. In other words, the peculiarity of this mechanism lies in the fact that it cuts only one of the two cables needed to install, for example, a light bulb. It is the cable that is popularly called neutral.

Single pole types of switches consist of one push button but two terminals (two electrical wires connected).

Bipolar switch

A two-pole switch works in the same way as a single-pole switch, but this switch is used in damp rooms, such as a bathroom,… Therefore, it is an electrical mechanism, although it can perform the same function as a conventional single-pole switch, it has a characteristic Use two cables to cut the current: the phase and the neutral.

In other words, bipolar switches are those capable of controlling, by means of a switch, two electrical circuits. With these switches, you can interrupt and resume, that is, turn on and off the light with a single lever.

All types of double pole light switches consist of one button and 4 terminals (4 electrical wires connected).

These switches are more commonly used in homes. It is used for electrical appliances in which it is necessary or important to cut off the flow of the two wires of the installation.

They are also the safest and most practical. Bipolar switches are safety elements for electrical installations that can prevent more than one panic. The column is used to indicate the number of circuits controlled by the same switch.

Bi-directional electric switch or toggle/go switch

A two-way switch is a “continuous contact” mechanism used to control a light point from two different locations. Thus, we need two types of light switches “  back  and forth  ” for that reason.

The back and forth switch consists of 3 electrical contacts, which are achieved through circular terminals. Each time one of the two switches is pressed, one of the contacts will move from top to bottom so that the contact is always maintained to allow current to pass, thus illuminating the point in question.

The back and forth switch is very useful in large rooms, hallways, stairwells, etc., as it allows the light to be turned on and off from different electrically connected points. For example, you can put a switch next to the door, and another switch next to the bed, so that if you turn on the light when you enter the room through the electric switch near the door, you can turn it off from that switch next to the door near the bed.

The two-way light switches have 1 button and 3 terminals (3 wire connection).

Double key

A dual switch is used to control two light points from one location. The dual types of light switches have two buttons. In other words, it is a mechanism by which we can switch the light on and off from two different points, from the same switch (a button for lighting in the corridor and a button for lighting in the living room), or from two different elements, such as: the lamp and the fan.

They are widely used in homes, as they are easy to use and provide great convenience. But, it is not always clear how to wire a double (also called “dipole”) switch even though doing so is a simple task.

Simply two single pole switches in the same housing. The double switches have 2 buttons and 3 terminals (3 electrical wires connected).