The switch tag has no wiki summary.
28
votes
7answers
7k views
When I turn down the dimmer switch on my lights, do I actually use less electricity?
My wife and I have several lights on dimmer switches throughout our home. We generally prefer the ambient lighting provided by dimmed lights. I am curious, though, if we are saving any electricity by ...
11
votes
3answers
9k views
How should I rewire a miswired 3-way switch?
I have a 3 way switch that was wired incorrectly when the switches were replaced with a different color switch. Is there a methodical way for me to identify which wires represent which piece of the ...
9
votes
2answers
276 views
Where can I get a switch for a 30A circuit?
I would like to add a switch to a 30A plug, but I am having trouble finding one (they are all rated at 15a/20a). Is there a reason you can't buy 30A switches or is it called something different?
To ...
8
votes
1answer
5k views
How exactly does a 3-way switch work?
I just finished replacing all of the switches and outlets in my apartment, after fighting a long war with a weird 3-way switch. Needless to say, I won, but I'm still trying to grasp the concept of how ...
8
votes
1answer
7k views
How can I override a motion detector light?
I am going to be installing one or two motion detector lights to cover my backyard. I would like the ability to "override" the motion detector. What I mean by this is that I would like to be able to ...
8
votes
7answers
2k views
Home light switch circuit with 5 switches
I'm new to the amazing wold of electronics and starting out small. I think...
Early 2010 me and the wife bought a house that was build in 1979. Now I started replacing light switches and encountered ...
7
votes
4answers
573 views
What should I do with a double gang box if I no longer need two separate switches?
We're relocating our TV to a side of our living room that has a power outlet controlled by a wall switch. The switch is part of a double gang box (1 switch controls the porch light, the other ...
7
votes
2answers
227 views
Should switches in a kitchen area have GFCI protection?
Do the switches on the wall and over the counter areas have to be on a GFCI protected circuit? As there is live power at the switch all the time, I would think this to be true, but I'm not sure.
7
votes
1answer
331 views
How can I remove a switch and terminate a circuit in its place?
I have a switch that used to control outdoor lighting. It no longer does any more and I'd like to just leave it off permanently. Is there an easy way I can terminate it from within the gang box? ...
7
votes
3answers
263 views
How should I rewire this situation?
In my dinning room, I have this:
There is a wire run going up through the floor from the basement. It then goes outside the wall, around a stud (or studs, I'm can't tell there is more than one), back ...
6
votes
1answer
293 views
What do I need to replace 4 light switches on the same circuit?
So we have a single light in our living room that can be turned on/off from four different switches at various entrances to the living room.
We're currently replacing all the switches in our house as ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
How do I install a one-way switch w/ pilot light?
I am trying to replace a very old one-way switch with a pilot light (light comes on when the switch is on). The original switch was extremely old, and used quick-install terminals ONLY. Even worse, ...
6
votes
4answers
555 views
Should I put a dimmer switch on a ceiling fan?
I have a ceiling fan on our bedroom's vaulted ceiling. Since we don't want 7' pull-cords, the speed is stuck at full-tilt, which is no good. The fan has separate switches on the wall for lights and ...
6
votes
1answer
250 views
How can I get my Self-Destruct switches to do something?
In my house, there were some confusing panels of that had lots of switches on them, so I bought a labeling machine and put labels over all the switches in the house.
There are two blank switches next ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
How do I wire these dimmer switches? The current wiring is crazy
I've installed light switches in other parts of our house, but there is one pair of dimmers that mystifies me. One is a normal dimmer and one is supposed to be a three way dimmer, but the latter is ...
6
votes
2answers
569 views
Light flashes on then turns off. What do I look for?
I just moved into my first home and the light fixture in the water closet broke. I replaced the fixture with a new one, but the light only flashes on, then turns off. I checked for loose ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
What about a light switch in the closet?
Okay you guys I have next question. And like all good questions this one begins with a story.
I was reading the post about a nick in a wire and read a couple of you mention that light switch in a ...
5
votes
1answer
5k views
Is it ok to wire light switches and lights with 12/2 cable?
It sounds like light switches and lights are usually wired with 14/2 cable. Is it okay to use 12/2 cable instead? Would I need special switches?
5
votes
1answer
214 views
How do I mount this non-standard wall plate to a completed drywall wall?
I have this
But it only has what you see in that pic. I was told I needed the box thing to go behind it to mount it to in the wall. There is no hole in the wall right now, so how do I get this to ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
How can I replace multiple 3 way switches with motion sensors?
My tenants never turn the lights off in the stairwells of my 3 family house, so I'd like to replace all of the light switches with motion sensors. Here is a crude diagram of how this is set up now.
...
5
votes
1answer
6k views
How do I wire a GFCI/Switch Combo?
I'm replacing an old GFCI/Switch combo. In the old one there are two wires coming into the line side, a hot wire and a neutral. On the load side there is one wire leading up to the lighting fixture. ...
4
votes
3answers
481 views
How can I utilize a light switch for a specific outlet?
I just moved into a new apartment and in one of the bedrooms, there is a light switch that switches one of the outlets on and off. Unfortunately, this outlet is placed in the opposite side of the room ...
4
votes
5answers
864 views
How do I raise light switches so my kids can't keep toggling the light?
My flat at the moment has all the switches at about 1 meter off the floor. Naturally my growing kids are starting to toggle the lighting now that they are tall enough. Is it possible to raise the ...
4
votes
4answers
2k views
How can I remote control a switch for a pool pump?
I want to be able to start and stop two pool pumps by remote control, independently.
Each one works at 220V, 1 kW (i.e. around 5A, expect a current spike when starting.)
Do you know an off the shelf ...
4
votes
1answer
641 views
How do I wire a switch/receptacle combination?
Here's my current situation. I've got 14/2 to the ceiling. The hot wire has a runner, which runs down to the switch, and the other wire is a switched hot, back to the light. The other side of the ...
4
votes
2answers
167 views
Is this switch properly grounded?
I replaced a standard single pole switch with an Intermatic ST01 timer switch, into a metal electrical box with three other switches. The switch I was replacing had no ground connection, but some of ...
4
votes
3answers
388 views
What's a good way to customize or recess a lightswitch?
I saw this etsy project:
Working Arcade Light Switch
And while it's pretty cool, I'm not huge into arcade or fighting games, so I was going to make my own, and change the buttons.
How would be a ...
4
votes
1answer
175 views
Where can I purchase push button electrical switches?
Our old house has push button light switches. I would like to find some modern replica switches and face plates for use in some electrical improvements. I have checked at our local home improvement ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
How do I replace this dimmer switch to a conventional switch?
I want to replace the dimmer switch in my kitchen with a conventional light switch. However I could use a little guidance.
I understand the two black wires are the hot wires, and the green is ...
4
votes
1answer
6k views
How should I wire a GFCI outlet and a switch to isolate the switch but provide GFCI protection further in the series?
I am replacing the outlets for my garbage disposal/dishwasher circuit in my kitchen. Currently on that breaker there is one non-GFCI outlet with a pigtailed switch controlling the garbage disposal and ...
4
votes
2answers
276 views
Triple switch plate size issue
I have a plate of 3 light switches that's just taking up too much real-estate. See picture below:
As you can see, I've got a bookcase right next to it, and I could use a little more room there. The ...
4
votes
1answer
225 views
What should I do with a 3-way light switch that is no longer needed?
How do I get rid of a 3-way switch? I am rewiring some lights in an older home and found that one of the switches is a 3-way. However, the light it was originally for was removed years ago. So we ...
4
votes
1answer
790 views
Why does voltage still exists when a circuit is broken by a 3-way switch?
My parents got a ceiling light for my parents for Christmas, which I was tasked with installing. I don't know why I bothered to check the voltage before putting the new fixture on (and after taking ...
4
votes
1answer
429 views
What can we use as a wireless switch for a ceiling light?
I removed a light/ceiling fan that had a pull string when we installed my son's bunk bed (we didn't want the fan blades knocking him in the head). We now want to install just a ceiling light. There ...
3
votes
3answers
304 views
How do I fix drywall around wall box so switch plate covers damage?
In my house, there are maybe three or four outlet boxes and switch boxes where there was damage done to the drywall surrounding the box at some point. There are no structural or electrical issues ...
3
votes
3answers
467 views
Is there a way to mark/label a special use switch?
I'm going to be rewiring my front porch light, and in the process I've decided to pull cable for a switched receptacle for Christmas lights. I'm going to install a 2 gang box for both switches ...
3
votes
2answers
145 views
How do I trade the lights that these two light switches control with each other?
I have two light switches in my bathroom. I'd like to swap the lights that they operate with each other.
I have no experience with this kind of thing, but I'm hoping the proximity of the two ...
3
votes
3answers
909 views
Do you know any switches which turns on/off based on day light?
I am looking for having some sensor based switches which will turn on/off the lights based on the light conditions during the day (i.e. turn on when there is less light and turn off when there is more ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
is it possible to do a 3 way switch if power source is in the second switch?
In my research on how to install a 3 way switch, i've seen different ways on how to install the wires but i haven't found the schema that would help me in my situation.
Here's a screenshot of my ...
3
votes
1answer
932 views
Is my dimmer switch failing or is it bad wiring?
A few days ago my wife mentioned that there was a "burning smell" near the kitchen, but it went away before I could investigate. Today I turned on the dimmer switch in my kitchen, and the lights began ...
3
votes
1answer
194 views
Identify type of switch
Can anyone identify the type of switch this is? There are 4 connectors at the bottom and 3 at the top.
I've already purchased a 2 gang 2 way switch which turned out to be the wrong one (it only has ...
3
votes
2answers
408 views
How can I replace pull switch lights with wireless remote receivers / switches?
does anyone have experience with the Lightning Switch or Illumra or recommend any other remote switches for replacing the pull switch light fixtures without having to rewire the house. The tech looks ...
3
votes
2answers
60 views
Can I add an occupancy sensor to a 3-way circuit?
If I replace one switch in a 3-way circuit with an occupancy switch, would this cause the occupancy switch to work in reverse (or not at all) if the regular switch was toggled?
If so, would the best ...
3
votes
2answers
108 views
How do I rewire this circuit controlling several lights and receptacles?
The wiring is suspended on the ceiling inside a metal tube that connects to each light socket and set of outlets at independent metal junction boxes. The first light in the chain finally stopped ...
3
votes
2answers
734 views
Why don't my 3-way switches work like 3-way switches? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How should I rewire a miswired 3-way switch?
I just moved into a house and am trying to figure out all the switches. I have now determined there are two switches at ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
How can I replace a 3-way light switch with a motion sensor?
I'm trying to replace one of the three-way light switches in my garage with a motion sensor. But I'm confused by the wires on the existing switch. I thought the hot wire goes to the black screw ...
3
votes
1answer
408 views
Is it safe to remove a plug, and wire a light fitting into the wall?
I've moved into a house, and am fitting a series of 5 halogen downlights beneath a shelving unit. The wall on which I am fitting it previously had an uplighter. I removed this so now have exposed ...
3
votes
1answer
228 views
Can I use a transfer panel with something other than a generator?
What I am trying to do is use a transfer panel to power some 15-amp sockets with ether a dimmer pack, or from the main. (trying to set up a theater space so when there's not a show going on you can ...
2
votes
3answers
5k views
Is there such thing as a 4-way dimmer?
I have a 4-way switch I want to replace with a dimmer. I understand I can put the dimmer at one of the other 3-way switches, but they're more out of the way. Does such a device exist? If not, what ...
2
votes
1answer
692 views
How to determine what 3-way switch system was used?
How can I tell if an old Knob & Tube 3-way switch is still legal by the modern NEC? Specifically I am trying to tell if my switch is a "California 3-way" (or "Coast 3-way", "Hollywood 3-way", ...
