Questions tagged [switch]
For questions about switches, i.e. electrical devices used to manually open and close an electric circuit on a routine basis.
2
votes
1answer
41 views
Adding a switch and receptacle
I have a pull chain light in my shed. Power comes in to the light. I want to add a switch to the light so I don't have to use the pull chain. Is it possible to run electricity down to a 2 gang box and ...
3
votes
1answer
36 views
Low voltage track lighting flashing at low frequency
I have two sets of track lighting on the same switch, and one of the tracks flashes at a low frequency at seemingly random times. Video of the behavior.
Some relevant details:
The two tracks are on ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Light and fan switches
I would like to have a double wall switch for the toilet where one switch (#1) turns on both the light and the fan while the second switch (#2) turns only the fan. Please note the light and the fan ...
0
votes
1answer
69 views
Does anyone make a 3 circuit switch?
I would like to run 3 separate 120 volt items 10.2 max amp per item using 3 separate circuits, but only have a single switch box to use. I have seen single circuit in 3 switch out, but want 3 in 3 out....
0
votes
0answers
20 views
Trying to replace a cracked light switch for my bathroom lighting
The existing light switch once I removed it from the junction box has three black wires. There is no white nor green for ground connected to the existing switch. I see white wires bundled in the back ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
3-way switch and top only hot outlet troubleshooting
We're trying to fix some electrical issues done by our house's previous owners and while doing so, somehow we lost the ability to control the top half of our outlets using a light switch. Long story ...
4
votes
3answers
945 views
Convert two switches to a dual stack, and add outlet - possible here?
Here's the setup in our kitchen. On the left with two brown wires is the disposal switch. On the right is a switch for an over-the-sink light.
I would like to put these into a dual (stacked) ...
0
votes
1answer
81 views
Why did my switch spark when I installed it in a metal junction box?
Okay, so I put in a new Wifi Light Switch. The box was metal and tiny, while the switch was big and all of the screws were on the bottom of the switch. Why did it spark and blow up? Was it because all ...
2
votes
2answers
52 views
Wiring new light switch
I am trying to install a motion activated light switch in my basement of my condo in the United States. On the switch it states that it's max load is 500 watts which should be plenty since the switch ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Need help identifying a light switch
At work we have some light switches that look like this, and I've seen similar ones at school and at other commercial offices. This one is installed in Vancouver, Canada
The lights also have a motion ...
-1
votes
0answers
25 views
Removing Switch
Have 2-white, 2-black, 1-red & 2-earth.
How do I connect these to take switch out of the circuit. Circuit is for a ceiling fan that I want to now control directly from it’s pull chain, instead ...
2
votes
1answer
50 views
Weird wiring in a 4-connection switch configuration for ceiling fan/light
I bought a new fan with an LED light, so the dimmer switch connected to the old fan has to be switched. When I pulled out the switch, I found a confusing set up.
Wiring instructions
The current ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
Can a 3way switch provide a constant hot line to another unrelated load or switch?
I had some electrical work done but we were unable to test the lines and now the electrician is gone. To simplify the problem, we have two electrical boxes and two loads. One load (INSIDE LIGHT) will ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
Two switches, one turns both lights on, the other just one of them
I have two separate lights in a room. And two separate switches (actually one switch and one motion sensor). I want one switch to turn both lights on, and one switch to turn just one of the lights on.
...
1
vote
1answer
45 views
Replacing Single switch with timer switch - Original two switches connected
I want to replace a switch with a timer switch, however on checking out the wiring the two original switches have a black wire connecting the two. The switch I want to replace is the rightmost switch. ...
2
votes
2answers
53 views
Replacing formerly half-hot converted to always-hot receptacles with NEW receptacles
I have four receptacles in my family room that I just replaced. These receptacles used to be half-hot. One of the previous owners converted them to always-hot by removing and capping the wires in the ...
0
votes
3answers
51 views
Wiring a light switch that only has one cable when the new switch (with neon indicator) has live and neutral both in and out
I am replacing a light switch with one including a neon indicator. There is only one cable to the switch but the new switch has live and neutral terminals for both 'in' and 'out'. Which terminals do I ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Do I need a neutral on the other end of a three-way switch?
I'm looking at adding a three-way switch to a room. I'll probably drop the hot and neutral into Box #1, but 12/2/2 (hot, 2x travelers and a neutral) is fairly esoteric cable (nobody locally sells it ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
Light Switch Wiring, hot wire to lights
I have a light switch that has the black wire attached to the bottom terminal and the white wire attached to the top terminal. Is there any way I can add another light switch for recessed lights to ...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
Wire colours reversed on switch
I've just installed a new (1 way, ceiling pull cord) switch in my bathroom since the old one broke. When I came to change it, it was not wired the way I expected with the live into the COM terminal ...
1
vote
2answers
124 views
How can I combine two wall switches into one?
As you can see in the picture the top switch doesn’t work at all. The bottom switch is the one that actually works.
How can I change this 2 switches to just 1 - when I would buy a brand new one
...
1
vote
1answer
65 views
Can anyone recognize these parts?
I was repairing/replacing a set of switches. Two brass metal parts fell out. I don't know what they are or where they came from. I don't know if they are essential or not.
Does anyone recognize them?
0
votes
1answer
20 views
What does a single beep and one flash mean when using my Ames non contact tester
I have an Ames non contact tester. When get a single beep/light next to a light switch not a constant beep or flash. What does this mean?
0
votes
2answers
38 views
Fan and Light Switch Reversed
I have a switch in my master bedroom that my family replaced. The controls are switched. The fan turns on when you put the light switch on and the light turns on only when the fan switch is all the ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Can an arcing switch damage the breaker or cause a fire?
I live in a 1980s mobile home with light switches and breakers as in the picture. If the switch is arcing or if the switch is held between on/off for a few seconds can this damage the breaker? The ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
Switches in other bedrooms turning on different lights after I put new light up
I recently put up a light in my bedroom but the switches in other rooms now turn on different lights, there are 9 wires altogether coming through the ceiling, 3 earth which are connected together, 3 ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
Why is my smart switch tripping the breaker?
I'm trying to install some smart light switches into my house. I've had a little trouble doing it.
The first one was in the kitchen. Every time I tried, it tripped the breaker in the main panel. I ...
1
vote
2answers
84 views
Black wire crossed with white in box
I was helping my dad install Alumiconn pigtails in his home when I spotted something weird in a 1-gang outlet box: a black wire shorted with a white wire. Alarm bells went off in my head, so I spent ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
Dimmer switch back to normal switch
Original wiring
To wire to this new switch
Hi all, I'm trying to convert an existing switch back to a normal switch but it keeps tripping. Can some one give me some suggestion. I used the black (3 ...
3
votes
2answers
130 views
Nylon switch cover plate screws
Every time someone touches any of my light switches they get a static shock. I know the root cause is the humidity is too low, but until I fix that, I heard that nylon cover plate screws (vs the usual ...
1
vote
2answers
58 views
Confusing ceiling fan wiring
Long story short, moved into this house 2 years ago, 2 gang switches in bedroom, one for ceiling fan and light, one supposedly for switched outlet. Finally got around to finding which outlet was ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Why doesn't my light switch have power after replacing the adjacent outlet?
My house is 125 years old. I bought it 3 years ago. I am trying to upgrade a wall socket and a light switch in the same wall mounted metal box. I took the old wall socket out which was pretty new and ...
1
vote
1answer
42 views
Convert 2 adjacent double gang box to 4 gang box; what are these extra wires?
I'm attempting to convert 2 adjacent double gang boxes into a single 4 gang box (see my first question about this here: 2 gang boxes installed side-by-side; How do I fix this?).
When I removed the ...
0
votes
0answers
10 views
Motion sensor light sqitch
Replacing single pole light switch with a new sensor light switch the new switch requires a neutral wire witch my old switch does not have... In the box where the switch is I have 3 wires copper.. ...
1
vote
3answers
75 views
Bridging Neutral and ground in a Light Switch
I changed my bathroom light switch for a Occupancy Sensor Switch but it would not turn off. Since the package said Ground Wire Required I figured it was a ground issue. The location has wiring from ...
3
votes
2answers
136 views
2 gang boxes installed side-by-side; How do I fix this?
Recently I took a wall plate off a 4 switch box to paint the wall. When I did this, I found that the wall plate was being held on by paint alone.
It appears that 4 light switches were installed ...
2
votes
2answers
66 views
Grounding a switch that has no ground screw or wire
I have a timer switch (see photo 1) that has No Grounding Screw and ** No Grounding Wire** protruding from it. It is to be installed into a plastic gang box and replace a switch which is currently ...
1
vote
2answers
65 views
What is going on with these wires at the wall light switch?
I am installing a smart switch, so I need a neutral. I am a bit confused which wire is which in my wall switch box. Below is a picture of the wires:
I am thinking that the red wire (circled in red) ...
0
votes
1answer
16 views
Single Pole Motion Sensing Light Switch
Attempting to install GE single pole motion light switch. The existing switch controls two lights in a small hallway. Can the single pole motion switch be wired for 2 lights?
0
votes
1answer
42 views
What is the best way to split a series of recessed ceiling lights to two switches?
I have a large basement with 10 can lights in the ceiling controlled by a single pull switch at the bottom of the stairs. I have framed in a bedroom that essentially cuts the area in half with 6 of ...
0
votes
2answers
70 views
I am replacing a ceiling fan in a bedroom and the wiring in the receptacle is confusing me
I am replacing an old ceiling fan and combination switch in a bedroom in my house. I am trying to connect a new switch that controls both functions (fan and light) separately, as well as a dimming ...
2
votes
2answers
80 views
Is my 4-way switch replacement job safe and up to code?
I recently replaced a 4-way light switch setup with a smart dimmer setup (GE Enbrighten 14294 and GE Add-On 12723) and wanted to check wanted to check that everything I did was safe and up to code (...
1
vote
2answers
59 views
Rewire switched bathroom receptacle to always be hot
I currently have a light switch in my bathroom that controls the light and also the only outlet. Can I remove the bypass the switch so the outlet stays hot or do I need to run a new line for the ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
14/4 cable use in switches for vent fan and light combination
This post is similar (but different) to one I posted previously, and I got great answers at that time. This is a different bathroom:
I currently have an overhead bathroom light with a single pole ...
0
votes
2answers
58 views
Is there a dimmer light switch with secondary constant 120V output?
I have a vent fan and an overhead light in my bathroom. They are currently tied to one standard light switch. When that light switch is in the "on" position, the vent fan and light are both powered on....
2
votes
3answers
647 views
Can I operate a well pump with no pressure tank by using the breaker as a switch?
Working on my cabin. Have a drilled well about 100 feet away (maybe a bit more, uphill). 1 inch black PVC well pipe comes into dirt crawl space, pier construction, under cabin. I brought it ...
1
vote
0answers
83 views
Name that mystery switch!
I've seen other similar questions (How to trace mystery switches), but I have some more details:
This is in a master bedroom
There is a 2 gang box right near the inside of the door - one switch (...
3
votes
1answer
125 views
Safe to combine GFCI switch with non-GFCI switch?
I have two switches by the front door. One controls the exterior door light. The other controls a light on a pole by the driveway. I want to replace the two switches with a single timer switch that ...
1
vote
2answers
59 views
Wiring in switch which turns on half outlet with no neutral
I have a weird situation with the wiring in a switch box. I am adding a ceiling fan to the room and would like to replace the existing switch which powers an outlet with a double switch. One that ...
2
votes
1answer
304 views
Switch with 2 black, 2 white, 2 ground and 1 red wire connected to ceiling light and a receptacle?
I am living in a condo and the owner has asked me to replace a switch from a dimmer to single pole to operate a ceiling fan. Upon inspection the ceiling fan has one 14/2 cable coming in with a black ...
