Hot answers tagged switch
10
They make various types of "child proof" switch guards, which might be a more practical approach than moving all the switches.
9
Turn off the power at the panel for this circuit (flip the circuit
breaker).
Remove the cover plate from the switch.
Test with a non-contact tester to make sure that there is no power
in the circuit box.
Unscrew the switch.
Remove the two wires from the switch (unscrew or, if they are press
in types, cut them close to the switch)
Straighten the wires ...
6
Wiring
This is what your wiring diagram should look like.
Notice the black wire is used to feed the switch, while the white wire is markered and used to feed the light from the switch. This is because the black wire going to the switch will always be hot, but the white wire "returning" from the switch is only hot when the switch is in the ON position. ...
6
You can use a low-voltage retrofit mounting bracket, which is the same size and has the same screw dimensions as a standard outlet box, but without the "box" part.
Because it's low-voltage, you don't need the mechanical protection of the box like you do for high-voltage. It also gives you a lot more room to work with, which is very nice for bulky ...
5
You can probably replace the switches with those sensors, but you're going to have to do some creative wiring to work around the fact that they're not 3-way switches, but the switches you're replacing with them are. You'll likely end up with the light being on whenever either of the switches is on. You also might run into trouble if they ran the 3-way ...
5
Your honest statement, "I have no experience with this kind of thing," is both refreshing and cautionary. Electricity can be dangerous. Most of us who dabble in it have learned a good bit by watching those who are much more experienced. When in doubt, call a pro (or at least a well-seasoned amateur). What follows is not a recommendation for you to proceed. ...
5
As Paul points out, there are no requirements in the National Electrical Code (NEC) for Ground Fault Circuit Interruption (GFCI) protection on switches. If you understand the purpose of GFCI devices, and think about the differences between switches and other electrical devices you'll see why.
What is a ground fault?
In a normally functioning 120V single ...
5
Move the run over a few feet, which would it stick it beside the air duct (I think there's about 1/2" between the duct and the adjacent stud. Is it safe for them to be so close?)
There is nothing I see in the NEC that puts restrictions on running electrical line near HVAC as long as it meets other code requirements. It must be properly anchored to the ...
5
Check the fine print
To find out if the dimmer can work with the fan, you'll have to inspect the dimmer. For this, you'll have to remove the cover plate and possibly pull the switch out of the box (in which case, make sure you shut off the power at the breaker). If you see the text "For Incandescent Only"; or something similar, you should not use this ...
5
That screw looks like it's for the wire clamp that secures wiring going through the back of the junction box. Instead, you should connect the green wire with a wire nut to the exposed copper wires that I believe are visible in the bottom of the picture. Make sure to use the proper size wire nut, which is based on the wire size and number of wires being ...
5
I wouldn't start cutting out chunks of drywall to fix a small area like that.
Take off the wall plate and remove any loose or crumbling drywall. Apply a piece of fiberglass tape over the area, mud, sand and repeat as necessary to get a blended finish. Then prime and paint to match.
The fiberglass tape is nice for repairs like this because you can stick it ...
4
I was just looking at light switches last night at Home Depot. There's enough options to make your head spin.
Photosensitive light switches are mainly used for outdoor applications, but some look like they should do fine indoors if oriented properly.
Automatic Dusk to Dawn Light Control - Screws into a light socket
Photocell Light Control Indoor Plug-in ...
4
That is a 3-way dimmer, so you'll have to replace it with a 3-way switch. The new 3-way switch will have 4 terminals (screws), 1 black (Common), 2 brass (Travelers), 1 green (Ground).
When working with 3-way switches, the Common terminal will always be the odd color (odd man out). For example, on your current switch the Red wire is the Common. On a regular ...
4
Does the light switch feel any different than the fan switch? The switch can feel funny if it fails.
Also, what kind of fixture it is? It's probably not relevant, but it's not a bad detail to add.
OK, looking at your diagram, I'm happy to see that all the gnd and all the neutral are tied together. That really helps, as it means you don't have anything too ...
4
The switch was probably damaged by a short circuit caused by wiring your fixture incorrectly.
So - how do you fix?
Step 1: Turn off the fuse/breaker that was blown/tripped when you caused the short
Step 2: Remove the face plate for the broken switch
Step 3: Remove the screws that anchor the switch in the electrical box. Do not remove any wires.
Step ...
4
You're going to have to do drywall repair if you move this switch.
So since you HAVE to do drywall repair regardless, why shy away from doing it the right way?
Cut away a big enough piece of drywall so that you have full access to the existing box, the space where the new box will be, and keep cutting right and left until you hit the bordering studs on ...
4
The naked wire is the ground (sometimes colored green) and is not the same as the neutral.
Your particular installation requires a neutral so that the switch can be powered without sending power to the load. If there is no neutral in your electrical box it means that the power source (line) does not come into that box and instead you are just switching the ...
4
There are two styles that I've seen:
"Automatic closet lights" that mount at the top of the door and include the light socket.
And "push button door switches" that are mounted in the door jamb and connect to a hardwired light fixture.
3
To set your INSTEON dimmer module's On-Level:
Use either the local buttons on your dimmer module or a Linked INSTEON Controller to adjust the light to the desired brightness.
Press & hold the On button on the dimmer module or Controller to brighten the light. Release at the desired brightness.
Press & hold the Off button on the dimmer module or ...
3
Well....you could install light switch guards such as these:
http://www.switch-guard.com/index.html
...that would be used to keep the switch on all the time. Then install remote controlled light socket adapters like these on critical lighting circuits:
You can find many choices for the "remote controlled light switch" by using that phrase as a search ...
3
Simple answer to your question is:
All load fixtures must be wired in parallel, never in series. This means you need to feed each fixture with 120vac. You can use a single run of wire, but the feed to the next fixture must be wired so that the hot and neutral are always connected uninterrupted to each fixture. Practically speaking, the black hot wire coming ...
3
As it is, it's proper, if perhaps a bit circuitous--aside from the wire coming out of the wall. So I'd say that's all you need to fix. You'll likely need to enlarge the current holes a bit so you get get a long drill bit in there to drill a hole in the stud and then be able to fish it through. A hole in the center of the stud big enough for the wiring will ...
3
Your Plan
Your analysis about two wires makes an assumption that is forbidden in residential electrical work. One of the wires in a standard fixture is the neutral whose state cannot change. It must always be connected to the other neutrals in the system, connected to the main electrical panel and ultimately to ground. If 1 reresents connected, the white ...
3
Here's a small nightmare my electrician left me (am looking for a new one).
Sometimes, making the hole BIGGER is easier and makes a more secure repair, because drywall is stronger when fully supported. I've done tape repairs as @Steven has suggested, but they are inherently weak, because the repair is necessarily cantilevered around the e-box.
Myron ...
2
While rheostats were used as dimmers in theatrical lighting back in the early days, this has not been common since the 1950s or earlier and I have never seen a domestic light dimmer that didn't use a thyristor. You don't save a lot of energy dimming incandescent lamps due to the highly nonlinear relationship of efficiency to filament temperature (brightness) ...
2
Something like the Carlon HW2162 screw-in wireless remote switch can do the job. I used something similar to replace a pull chain in an attic. Now I can turn on the light at the door, and not have to stumble through the dark to the middle of the attic to find the pull cord. It will set you back about $30. The installation requires no wiring and takes about ...
2
Take a look inside
If you look at an image of how the switches work internally, it makes it a bit easier to understand what's going on.
This Blog post contains images of the various states of different types of switch combinations, which might help you understand what's going on in the circuit.
The Truth behind the logic
A properly functioning set of ...
2
There's really a lot to a job like this. One doesn't know what entails until it's started.
While the work isn't terribly complicated, getting it done (and done right) is not a weekend job for the average diy'er. I mean, we don't know if it's '70s aluminum wiring, the grounding scheme of the house, if the switch was properly wired initially, what kind of ...
2
You can use something like this, if there is room in the fixture:
The switch just mounts on the wall and uses a battery. There is no direct wiring to the fixture. This company also makes a hand held remote that would work with the socket adapter (instead of or in addition to the switch) as well:
There are also hard wired switching units that fit in a ...
2
Don't worry about why. If you try to only fix the problem, you may miss something. Worry about getting it correct!
Black == HOT
White == Neutral
bare == ground
(in North America -- Europe is different!)
Open it up again and make sure it is connected as follows:
white from panel to white from outlet to white from light
black from panel to black ...
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