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No, this would be a direct short circuit and trip the over current device. If you are classing the white wires as neutral be careful as not all wires that are white are neutrals. In some cases the white wires are current carrying. A conscientious electrician identifies these type of wires with a strip of black tape identifying the conductor as "hot". If a home owner has done the wiring and not knowing the code regulations, the white wires may not have been identified.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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∙ 13y agoDon't confuse the white colour of wire and the use of the neutral wire. There are installations where the white coloured wire is used as a return hot wire. In home installations, switches use the white wire to return the hot to the lighting load. In 240 installations the return leg of the 240 volt load is returned on the white wire. Code states that in both instances the white wire has to be re identified with a coloured tape to show that it is a current carrying wire and not a unbalanced load carrying conductor (neutral).
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoYes a hot wire can operate a set of coils in parallel before is gets to the neutral. These cols are known as the circuits load. The coils have to be in parallel and not in a series connection. In series, the voltage will drop evenly across each individual coil and it may make the coil inoperable for the duty that it is required to do.
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∙ 6y agono.
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I have Two black wires and one red wire conected to a switch. Which is hot and which is neutral?
It sounds like your switch is a three way switch. The wire that is on the different colour screw of the three screws will either be the "hot" wire or the wire to the load. The neutral might or might not be in the box that the switch is in depending on which end of the three way system you are at. See discuss question button below.No wires connected to a switch are neutral. A switch breaks the circuit of the hot wire. Black AND red are hot wires. White is used for neutral and is almost never connected to a switch.
How do you wire dual switch-plug gfci which has extra wires?
there should be 5 wires, hot and switched hot for the switch and hot, neutral and ground for the gfci receptacle.
Is there a danger if you mix up ground wire and common wire when wiring a light switch?
Power out of a switch is not negative. It is still the "hot" conductor. The ground wire in a switch junction box in home wiring is the bare wire. It is nearly impossible to mix these two wires up. Most likely if the "hot" supply comes into the switch box the neutral wire will be with it. Just wire nut the two white wires together, incoming and outgoing. The two black wires will be connected to the switch to operate the light fixture.
How do you wire a basic off switch to a light?
Light switch connection is usually straight forward. Find your incoming hot wires, black and white. With the switch in the off (down) position and the power disconnected , connect the black wire to the top screw of the switch. Find the load wires and connect the black to the bottom screw of the switch. Connect the two remaining white wires together with a wire nut and push them to the back of the switch box. Install the switch into the wall box, replace switch plate cover. Turn the breaker (power) back on. Flip the switch to the up position and the light should come on.
What is the difference and how to differentiate between neutral and hot wires if both wires have the same color?
If the electrical box is grounded, check with a tester, the "hot" wire will have a voltage to the the grounded box the neutral wire will not. If the box is not grounded, with the breaker supplying the voltage turned off, use a tester on the resistance scale to check for continuity between the wires and a cold water pipe or some other grounded medium. The neutral will have continuity between the wire and a ground the "hot" wire will not.
Can you mix two hot wires and neutral in same shut-off switch?
Yes two "hot" wires and a neutral can enter into a switch box. This is done on occasions where a three wire enters a switch box, drops off one circuit for the lighting and the other "hot" wire carries on to feed a receptacle circuit.
How do you hook up a switch leg?
Describe what kind of switch leg you want and I'll send you a diagram. Do you want 3-way (light and two switches)? If so, is the power at the one of the switches or at the light? Do you want a single switch? If so is the power at the switch or at the light? Do you want 4-way (or more)? Light and 3 or more switches? Again, is the power at the light or one of the switches. Drop me an e-mail at a_d_kirkwood@excite.com describing what you want, and I'll send you a diagram. THE ARE TWO WAYS TO HOOK UP A ELECTRIC SWITCH LEG. 1. RUN THE SOURCE OR HOT WIRES TO THE WALL SWITCH BOX. RUN TWO WIRE WITH GROUND TO LIGHT FIXTURE; CUT, STRIP, TWIST WHITE WIRES TOGETHER AND PLACE IN REAR OF BOX; TWIST AND PIGTAIL BARE GROUND WIRES TO HOOK TO THE GREEN GROUND SCREW ON SWITCH. THIS LEAVES TWO BLACK WIRES, ONE HOT AND ONE SWITCH LEG TO LIGHT. PUT WIRES ON S/P SWITCH. 2. HOT WIRES FEED THROUGH CEILING BOX. RUN 2 WIRE WITH GROUND DOWN TO WALL SWITHCH BOX. STRIP AND TWIST TOGETHER THE TWO WHITE WIRES FEEDING THROUGH THE CEILING BOX, BUT NOT THE WHITE WIRE GOING DOWN TO THE WALL BOX. TIE THE HOT SOURCE BLACK WIRE TO THE WHITE WIRE FEEDING DOWN TO THE WALL BOX.(PUT BLACK TAPE ON THE WHITE WIRE TO SHOW THAT IT IS HOT). IF THERE IS ANOTHER HOT WIRE FEEDING ON THROUGH THE CEILING BOX TO ANOTHER BOX, TIE BOTH BLACK WIRES TO THE WHITE WIRE GOING DOWN TO THE SWITCH. HANG YOUR LIGHT USING THE WHITE WIRES TO WHITE ON THE FIXTURE AND THE BLACK WIRE OF THE TWO WIRE GOING DOWN TO THE WALL SWITCH. IN THE SWITCH BOX JUST PUT THE WIRES ON THE SWITCH. (PUT BLACK TAPE ON THE WHITE WIRE IN SWITCH BOX TO SHOW IT IS HOT)
Why is both wires hot on brake light switch?
If the switch is "closed" both wires should be HOT - with switch open one wire should go COLD-- if not defective switch
I have Two black wires and one red wire conected to a switch. Which is hot and which is neutral?
It sounds like your switch is a three way switch. The wire that is on the different colour screw of the three screws will either be the "hot" wire or the wire to the load. The neutral might or might not be in the box that the switch is in depending on which end of the three way system you are at. See discuss question button below.No wires connected to a switch are neutral. A switch breaks the circuit of the hot wire. Black AND red are hot wires. White is used for neutral and is almost never connected to a switch.
How do you wire dual switch-plug gfci which has extra wires?
there should be 5 wires, hot and switched hot for the switch and hot, neutral and ground for the gfci receptacle.
Is there a danger if you mix up ground wire and common wire when wiring a light switch?
Power out of a switch is not negative. It is still the "hot" conductor. The ground wire in a switch junction box in home wiring is the bare wire. It is nearly impossible to mix these two wires up. Most likely if the "hot" supply comes into the switch box the neutral wire will be with it. Just wire nut the two white wires together, incoming and outgoing. The two black wires will be connected to the switch to operate the light fixture.
How do you wire a basic off switch to a light?
Light switch connection is usually straight forward. Find your incoming hot wires, black and white. With the switch in the off (down) position and the power disconnected , connect the black wire to the top screw of the switch. Find the load wires and connect the black to the bottom screw of the switch. Connect the two remaining white wires together with a wire nut and push them to the back of the switch box. Install the switch into the wall box, replace switch plate cover. Turn the breaker (power) back on. Flip the switch to the up position and the light should come on.
I am removing a dimmer switch to put in a regular switch but there are two incoming hot wires what do i do?
The regular switch just connects in the circuit the same way as the dimmer switch came out. If the dimmer switch had its own wires the only difference will be is you will have to supply your own wires from the new switch to the existing connection. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS. If you do this work yourself, always turn off the power at the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicatorto insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
What is the difference and how to differentiate between neutral and hot wires if both wires have the same color?
If the electrical box is grounded, check with a tester, the "hot" wire will have a voltage to the the grounded box the neutral wire will not. If the box is not grounded, with the breaker supplying the voltage turned off, use a tester on the resistance scale to check for continuity between the wires and a cold water pipe or some other grounded medium. The neutral will have continuity between the wire and a ground the "hot" wire will not.
How do you wire a 20A switch which comes with a neutral wire when only 2 wires are available for the circuit?
You never switch a neutral wire, only hots. hooking both hot and neutral to the same switch will result in a short when the swith is turned on.
How do you wire 3 different light switches to one power source?
well, it's not a requirement, but traditionally a single light on a single switch has hot, neutral and ground brought directly to the light fixture from the panel. this circuit is called the home run. the hot is then run to the switch and back to the light as switched hot, which is used to feed the light. in order to add a second switched light fixture on a separate switch, you could pick up hot, neutral and ground at the first light fixture and carry it in another circuit to the second light fixture (traditionally) OR to the second light switch directly, whichever is easier. if you carried the hot/neutral/ground to the second light fixture, you would then circuit hot and switched hot to/from the second switch. if you carried hot/neutral/ground directly to the second switch, you would have to switch the hot and carry switched hot/neutral/ground to the second light. the same is true if the first switch has the home run, only you would add a circuit from the first switch to the second light fixture (or switch) instead of from the first light fixture.
Are positive wire and hot wires the same?
yes
