Single Pole Switch Lighting Circuits - How to wire a light switch
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Date: 2023-11-17
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Comments and reviews: 30
vinjanderson
In the second example Im not sure of the point of the extra white line with tape acting as a hot, other than to differentiate from the black in general, but in that case why not just advise to use red or another black with red tape, I think that would be less confusing right?
Also in the 3rd example I also dont understand leaving the extra white neutral line tied into the main neutral feed but then cap it off in the box, wouldnt it be better to just eliminate that line, less space and one less route in the path? Im assuming the video is showing what it would look like if it were romex and all the wires were already together, but still I dont think the dead end neutral is necessary
I usually love the videos but this one just confused me a little. Will these setups work? Yes. But are they best practice? That Im not sure of.
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In the second example Im not sure of the point of the extra white line with tape acting as a hot, other than to differentiate from the black in general, but in that case why not just advise to use red or another black with red tape, I think that would be less confusing right?
Also in the 3rd example I also dont understand leaving the extra white neutral line tied into the main neutral feed but then cap it off in the box, wouldnt it be better to just eliminate that line, less space and one less route in the path? Im assuming the video is showing what it would look like if it were romex and all the wires were already together, but still I dont think the dead end neutral is necessary
I usually love the videos but this one just confused me a little. Will these setups work? Yes. But are they best practice? That Im not sure of.
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Kurt
Can you use the 3rd method, but switch your red and black in the light fixture so that red is the switched power coming back from the switch to the light. Now you have a Black, White and ground in your switch box, and you could bring that out to a string of outlets. I know this would technically work, but would it be to code, and are there any issues with this? I am about to wire a shop, and would like to use this method to reduce number of romex wires pulled through conduits.
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Can you use the 3rd method, but switch your red and black in the light fixture so that red is the switched power coming back from the switch to the light. Now you have a Black, White and ground in your switch box, and you could bring that out to a string of outlets. I know this would technically work, but would it be to code, and are there any issues with this? I am about to wire a shop, and would like to use this method to reduce number of romex wires pulled through conduits.
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Bryan
I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure in your 3rd example, the black wire in the 3 wire cable should hook to the black wire in the 2 wire cable, and the red should be the wire from the switch to the light. Red is 'secondary' power wire, so there may or may not be voltage, black is 'live' so if it doesn't have voltage, there 'might' be a problem. I donno if the code defines that specifically, at this point, it's just my opinion
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I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure in your 3rd example, the black wire in the 3 wire cable should hook to the black wire in the 2 wire cable, and the red should be the wire from the switch to the light. Red is 'secondary' power wire, so there may or may not be voltage, black is 'live' so if it doesn't have voltage, there 'might' be a problem. I donno if the code defines that specifically, at this point, it's just my opinion
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Justin
I have two existing light fixtures on my wall (sconces. I would like to add a NEW ceiling fan/light combo in the ceiling and get rid of the two wall mounted light fixtures. Problem is, the power from the breaker panel goes to the wall fixtures before going to the switch. What's the easiest way to determine exactly where the power is coming from, keep that circuit going to the switch and then removing the fixtures?
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I have two existing light fixtures on my wall (sconces. I would like to add a NEW ceiling fan/light combo in the ceiling and get rid of the two wall mounted light fixtures. Problem is, the power from the breaker panel goes to the wall fixtures before going to the switch. What's the easiest way to determine exactly where the power is coming from, keep that circuit going to the switch and then removing the fixtures?
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Ramon
I'm going around the house ensuring every room has a GFCI at the first outlet bringing electricity into the room since my house has no grounding and ran into a situation in which my GCFI would trip. Solved that, then my breaker would trip. Then came to this video rearranged the wiring according to this one of these setups and voila! Fixed! Thanks a lot for your videos!
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I'm going around the house ensuring every room has a GFCI at the first outlet bringing electricity into the room since my house has no grounding and ran into a situation in which my GCFI would trip. Solved that, then my breaker would trip. Then came to this video rearranged the wiring according to this one of these setups and voila! Fixed! Thanks a lot for your videos!
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Mike
Thank you very much for your videos. Question: if with the first example, your light box is plastic and does not come with a pre-installed nut for the ground wire, does the light need to be grounded? Neither the light fitting nor the plastic ceiling box have a pre-installed ground nut. So, is the bulb itself (at least at the end of a run) required to be grounded?
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Thank you very much for your videos. Question: if with the first example, your light box is plastic and does not come with a pre-installed nut for the ground wire, does the light need to be grounded? Neither the light fitting nor the plastic ceiling box have a pre-installed ground nut. So, is the bulb itself (at least at the end of a run) required to be grounded?
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Daniel
I have an single pole switch and have it wired exactly the way you have shown in the first case (power to switch first. When I turn power back on and use a contactless current detector, it shows power correctly turning on and off at light with switch. but the light won't turn on. Any ideas why this might be? Using a brand new keyless lamp holder and bulb
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I have an single pole switch and have it wired exactly the way you have shown in the first case (power to switch first. When I turn power back on and use a contactless current detector, it shows power correctly turning on and off at light with switch. but the light won't turn on. Any ideas why this might be? Using a brand new keyless lamp holder and bulb
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chemistryguy
Thank you. I pulled apart a bunch of wiring from an electrical box when I was adding an outlet. I didn't pay close enough attention to the original wiring and couldn't get anything to work. I used the second configuration for the switch and everything is good now. It felt so WRONG connecting the neutral to the hot.
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Thank you. I pulled apart a bunch of wiring from an electrical box when I was adding an outlet. I didn't pay close enough attention to the original wiring and couldn't get anything to work. I used the second configuration for the switch and everything is good now. It felt so WRONG connecting the neutral to the hot.
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Mike
The last circuit described in this video allows a ceiling fan to operate whether the light is turned on or off.
My first encounter with this type of circuit came as quite a shock.
I would advise everyone to test any circuit before working on it to make sure it is actually off.
Electricity can be sneaky.
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The last circuit described in this video allows a ceiling fan to operate whether the light is turned on or off.
My first encounter with this type of circuit came as quite a shock.
I would advise everyone to test any circuit before working on it to make sure it is actually off.
Electricity can be sneaky.
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Kevin
I watched many practical videos on wiring a single pole switch and light in preparation to expand a switch from a 1 gang box to a 2 gang box and wire 2 separate lights. This has helped me understand more clearly the 3 types of switch wiring I may run into. Thanks for the wonderful video and easy explanation!
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I watched many practical videos on wiring a single pole switch and light in preparation to expand a switch from a 1 gang box to a 2 gang box and wire 2 separate lights. This has helped me understand more clearly the 3 types of switch wiring I may run into. Thanks for the wonderful video and easy explanation!
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AcheronX13
super helpfull only one snag i have the 2nd option here where the power comes into the light and i want to add another switch for my ceiling fan and one for pot lights is it possible to use pigtails on the light switch side to extend or do i have to run 2 more wires down from the box above?
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super helpfull only one snag i have the 2nd option here where the power comes into the light and i want to add another switch for my ceiling fan and one for pot lights is it possible to use pigtails on the light switch side to extend or do i have to run 2 more wires down from the box above?
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Aaron
Thanks for the video! Will the first version also work for using a switch to control current to a string of outlets? In that case, would the outlets downstream just be wired up normally, with the neutral wire that skips the switch being pigtailed or wired through the receptacles?
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Thanks for the video! Will the first version also work for using a switch to control current to a string of outlets? In that case, would the outlets downstream just be wired up normally, with the neutral wire that skips the switch being pigtailed or wired through the receptacles?
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Grgna
Is it possible to connect a dimmer to version 2? I have V2, with 3 wires, which ends up controlling 2 sets of bulbs. I'm guessing, two wires should be live and one neutral. Can I split the neutral to connect it to individual controllers of a 2-gang, 2-way dimmer?
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Is it possible to connect a dimmer to version 2? I have V2, with 3 wires, which ends up controlling 2 sets of bulbs. I'm guessing, two wires should be live and one neutral. Can I split the neutral to connect it to individual controllers of a 2-gang, 2-way dimmer?
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SuperGalacticus
How do you define whether the light is first or last in a circuit? Is it first in the circuit if it is the first thing the hot wire travels through and the last the neutral travels back through? Sorry I'm new to electricity.
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How do you define whether the light is first or last in a circuit? Is it first in the circuit if it is the first thing the hot wire travels through and the last the neutral travels back through? Sorry I'm new to electricity.
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Wilson
any suggestions for adding a fixture and switch to the 2nd configuration? i think someone called it a loop below. they will be on the same breaker, but i need to add a fixture and change the single switch to a double. thanks so much!
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any suggestions for adding a fixture and switch to the 2nd configuration? i think someone called it a loop below. they will be on the same breaker, but i need to add a fixture and change the single switch to a double. thanks so much!
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Leah
Thank you! First video Ive seen about wiring a switch that explained the how of why a switch works. A light bulb finally went off in my head too! Youre the best. I can now reword my switch and stop tripping the breaker! My hero!
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Thank you! First video Ive seen about wiring a switch that explained the how of why a switch works. A light bulb finally went off in my head too! Youre the best. I can now reword my switch and stop tripping the breaker! My hero!
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Massive
In today's world, you ALWAYS want to run a neutral to the switchbox for smart switch power. My house was wired in 1967, and redone in 2008, but nobody added neutrals to any switchboxes, which I had to re-wire.
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In today's world, you ALWAYS want to run a neutral to the switchbox for smart switch power. My house was wired in 1967, and redone in 2008, but nobody added neutrals to any switchboxes, which I had to re-wire.
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Tony
Can anyone help me. When I connect my light fixture and with the switch on my ac voltage drops to 2. 14 volts and when I remove it with the switch on it jumps back up to 110v. Any reasoning for that?
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Can anyone help me. When I connect my light fixture and with the switch on my ac voltage drops to 2. 14 volts and when I remove it with the switch on it jumps back up to 110v. Any reasoning for that?
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MuckG
Is there a reason why in the second illustration you are connecting the black and white wire together at the light instead of running both neutrals to the light and the black wires to the wire nut?
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Is there a reason why in the second illustration you are connecting the black and white wire together at the light instead of running both neutrals to the light and the black wires to the wire nut?
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Jennifer
HELP! Purchased a new house. Once I turn the light on and I lightly tap on my light switch the light flickers. Ground wired or not should the lights flicker? only does it when I tap on it.
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HELP! Purchased a new house. Once I turn the light on and I lightly tap on my light switch the light flickers. Ground wired or not should the lights flicker? only does it when I tap on it.
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Francisco
I don't understand, I am ignorant on this, why not to run the same color black wire to switch? Because you still go back on neutral to the light with the black wire, too confusing.
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I don't understand, I am ignorant on this, why not to run the same color black wire to switch? Because you still go back on neutral to the light with the black wire, too confusing.
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jwo1045
I have lights hooked up like the third version. I want to add another light with its own switch. How would I wire the light and switch in the same box as the original switch?
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I have lights hooked up like the third version. I want to add another light with its own switch. How would I wire the light and switch in the same box as the original switch?
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Averoes
I don't understand the point of having the neutral wire terminate in the switch box. Neutral is already carrying current back to the circuit breaker without it.
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I don't understand the point of having the neutral wire terminate in the switch box. Neutral is already carrying current back to the circuit breaker without it.
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Ben
Why do you connect white wire to black in the fixture box. Why not keep it the same and not have to confuse people and put black tape on white wire to identify it?
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Why do you connect white wire to black in the fixture box. Why not keep it the same and not have to confuse people and put black tape on white wire to identify it?
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Gebo's
Excellent video. I followed this to wire up a light in our storage room. Before this video, I had NO IDEA how to do it. Much appreciated. Thanks for the help.
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Excellent video. I followed this to wire up a light in our storage room. Before this video, I had NO IDEA how to do it. Much appreciated. Thanks for the help.
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Jason
Usimg your second example when the feed starts at the light, If I wanted to have more than one light on the circuit what wires would I run to the next light?
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Usimg your second example when the feed starts at the light, If I wanted to have more than one light on the circuit what wires would I run to the next light?
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Joseph
How would you wire a light be on when your garage door is open? I was looking at magnetic switches but none of them looked like they were rated for 110 vac.
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How would you wire a light be on when your garage door is open? I was looking at magnetic switches but none of them looked like they were rated for 110 vac.
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Peter
understand schematics for description power into first light switch at the end. But can't figure out with two lights. Same setup, same wires. Any help?
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understand schematics for description power into first light switch at the end. But can't figure out with two lights. Same setup, same wires. Any help?
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Yordan
Can't I run a separate neutral for the whole circuit withough having it going threw the boxes? Having trouble with too many wires in small sapces.
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Can't I run a separate neutral for the whole circuit withough having it going threw the boxes? Having trouble with too many wires in small sapces.
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Tiffany
Is there a way to add an exhaust fan to this switch in the circuit where the switch is last in the line? Or maybe a to a switch then the fan?
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Is there a way to add an exhaust fan to this switch in the circuit where the switch is last in the line? Or maybe a to a switch then the fan?
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