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Electrical Basics 101

By Timothy Thiele, About.com

6 of 8

Switches

Photo of a switch.

Switch Photo

Timothy Thiele
Switches are the devices that turn on and off lights and fans in your home. These switches come in many different styles and colors to suit your design needs. There are single-pole, three-way, four-way and dimmer switches. Their purpose is to alter the flow of current to your lights and fans in a home.

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