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Tie all the white wires together under a wire nut and push them back in the box. Tie the black incoming power wire and outgoing power wire, if there is one, together under a wire nut with a black wire pigtail. Connect this pigtail to one screw on each light switch. Connect the black wire going up to the lights to the appropriate switch you wish to use to control that light.
What else can I help you with?
How do you add another porch light to an existing switch?
Piggyback off the box for the existing light. Run a wire from the existing junction box to a new junction box (which is placed wherever you want the new fixture). Then, in the existing box, connect the wire coming from the switch, the wire for the existing fixture, and the wire for the new fixture together using wire nuts. Wire up the new fixture, and presto, you have two fixtures on a switch where there was only one before.
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.
Why would a light switch have two black wires for power and two whites caped off?
Black represents Hot and White common. For the light to operate it needs a white and black wires. The switch box has two cables with a white and black wire plus a ground. One wire is from the supply and the other to the light. Connecting the whites just provides common directly to the light. The blacks go into and out of switch because it is the hot side that is being switched.
How do you fix a light switch after two live wires touch?
There has to be more to this question for a good answer. For the most part a light switch has two contacts, with a wire at each one. One live wire and another going to the light itself. There is also a neutral wire return (from the light to the electrical panel). There is only one live wire in any electrical circuit. [Please, don't flame me with examples of multiple electrical sources in circuitry. We're talking about home lighting.] If somehow you shorted the live wire from the switch to the electrical box (ground) or to another wire in the box, it was only momentary and you can just proceed with replacing the switch. It's a good idea to turn off the power first.
How do you wire a series of recessed lights to a single switch when the power goes to the lights first?
If you already know how to put one fixture on a 3-way, just connect white-to-white and black-to-black from one light to the next. If you're changing from a single switch to the 3-way, the exact wiring will depend on whether the power comes from the breaker box to the switch or the existing fixture. I'll assume you're starting from scratch or have the power going to the fixture. You need #15 two-wire with ground and #15 three-wire with ground romex. Run two-wire from the breaker box to the first light fixture. Pull a another two-wire from this box to switch A and a three-wire between the switches. String two-wire from the first light to the second, second to third, etc. In the first box, connect white from source to the white fixture wire and the white going to the second box; black from source to the black to switch A; and the black fixture wire to both the white to switch A and the black to the next fixture. At each of the other 5 fixtures, connect all white to white and black to black (three pair in each box except the last one). At switch A, connect the white from the fixture to the common (center) connector and the black directly to the black going to switch B. The red and white wires going to switch B are connected to the two outside connectors of switch A. At switch B, the black goes to the common connector and the red and white to the outside connectors. At each box, connect all the bare wires (second ground) to each other and to the fixture or box. Now turn the power back on. If all the connectors are tight, power should follow the black wires from source past the fixture and switch A to switch B. From there it will go through one or the other of the travellers and, if switch A is in the same position as B, up the white switch leg to the fixtures, turn on all the lights and go back to ground.
What type of prewire for a ceiling fan light?
The pre wire for a ceiling fan light should be made with a three wire cable. This cable will have a red, black, and white wire as main conductors. This cable will also have a bare ground wire. This wire should be strung between a two gang switch box to the fixture junction box. This pre wire allows the supply to be either fed to the two gang box. From the two gang switch junction box, one side will be used for the light in the fixture and the other side of the switch junction box, itwill be used for the fan portionin the fixture.
How do you add another porch light to an existing switch?
Piggyback off the box for the existing light. Run a wire from the existing junction box to a new junction box (which is placed wherever you want the new fixture). Then, in the existing box, connect the wire coming from the switch, the wire for the existing fixture, and the wire for the new fixture together using wire nuts. Wire up the new fixture, and presto, you have two fixtures on a switch where there was only one before.
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)
How do I install a 3-way light switch?
To install a 3-way light switch, first turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker box. Remove the old switch and identify the common wire. Connect the common wire to the dark-colored screw on the new switch. Connect the other two wires to the light-colored screws. Secure the switch in the electrical box and turn the power back on to test the switch.
How do you install a 3-way light switch?
To install a 3-way light switch, first turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker box. Remove the old switch and identify the common wire. Connect the common wire to the dark-colored screw on the new switch. Connect the other two wires to the light-colored screws. Secure the switch in the electrical box and turn the power back on to test the switch.
How do you hook up one light to one switch in a basement lighting system that has all 10 lights connected to one switch?
If you have good access to the wiring this is relatively easy to do. Each of the 10 lights is connected to another in parallel in a "daisy chain" fashion. Light 1 is connected to the switch, light 2 is connected to light 1, light 3 is connected to light 2 and so forth. Let's say it is light 5 that you wish to switch separately. You can first install the new switch by either adding a new box or modifying old switch box. There are two gang switches that will fit the form factor of a single switch. TURN OFF THE POWER TO SWITCH BOX. Using the same supply input at original switch, add a new black wire to the wire nut for input to original switch and connect this to the input of new switch. Then run a new wire to light 5 and connect black wire to the output of new switch. Connect all the white wires together in switch box and separately connect all bare wires together in switch box. Now at light 5 undo the black and white wire coming from the fixture, and reconnect the wire nuts so that there is a direct connection between light 4 and light 6. Do the same for the ground if present (bare wire). You now have the fixture wires hanging free. Now connect the black wire from new switch to the fixture black wire and white to white and you are done.
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.
Why would a light switch have two black wires for power and two whites caped off?
Black represents Hot and White common. For the light to operate it needs a white and black wires. The switch box has two cables with a white and black wire plus a ground. One wire is from the supply and the other to the light. Connecting the whites just provides common directly to the light. The blacks go into and out of switch because it is the hot side that is being switched.
How to wire two lights to one switch?
To wire two lights to one switch, you will need to connect the power source to the switch, then run a wire from the switch to the first light, and another wire from the first light to the second light. This creates a series circuit where both lights are controlled by the same switch. Make sure to follow proper safety precautions and consult a professional if needed.
How do you fix a light switch after two live wires touch?
There has to be more to this question for a good answer. For the most part a light switch has two contacts, with a wire at each one. One live wire and another going to the light itself. There is also a neutral wire return (from the light to the electrical panel). There is only one live wire in any electrical circuit. [Please, don't flame me with examples of multiple electrical sources in circuitry. We're talking about home lighting.] If somehow you shorted the live wire from the switch to the electrical box (ground) or to another wire in the box, it was only momentary and you can just proceed with replacing the switch. It's a good idea to turn off the power first.
How do you properly wire two switches in one box?
To properly wire two switches in one box, you need to connect the hot wire from the power source to both switches, then connect the switched wires from each switch to the corresponding light or device. Make sure to follow the wiring diagram for the specific type of switch you are using to ensure proper connections and safety.
How do you wire a light with a switch to another light with a switch in a different room?
Run the power line to a light box in each room, then drop a switch leg from each light box. The power line should daisy-chain to each box, with a "tap" off for the lights of each room. If you do not have experience with lighting or switch logic, it would be much more safe for you to contract with a qualified electrician.
