Wire A Light Switch

Wiring a one way switch.

Wire a light switch. Steps for wiring a single pole light switch. Two or three wires will be attached to the switch. If the light switch has a ground screw on it usually green and at the bottom of the switch connect it now. A one way light switch has two terminals which is a common marked as com or c.

Assuming it is a steel box. First of all we should connect the ground wires to the box. First run a 2 wire cable from the wall power to the black screw on 1 of the switches. As a homeowner you will likely need to replace a light switch many times and paying an electrician is not optimal when you can do it in just a few minutes.

How to wire a light switch learning how to wire a light switch is one of the basic skills that every homeowner should do. There are two basic wiring configurations for installation of a single pole light switch. Because the electrical code as of the 2011 nec update requires a neutral wire in most new switch boxes a 3 wire cable runs between the light and switch. And sometimes a grounding wire which is green or bare copper there may be other wires in the box but you are only dealing with the ones connected directly to the switch.

An incoming hot wire which is black. To wire a 3 way light switch you ll need 2 3 way light switches 2 2 wire non metallic cables 1 3 wire non metallic cable and 2 6 inch grounding wires. The most common requirement of any hardwired automated light switch is a neutral wire. The other terminal is marked as l1 and is the output to the light fixture.

A return wire which carries the load to the fixture and may be black red or any other color except green. Yes there are a few read very very very few switches that don t require a neutral but those will limit you to incandescent only. Whichever light switch project you need done if you are unsure or uncomfortable about handling a wiring project the better course is to find an electrician near you that will ensure that the job is done correctly. Our instructions on how to wire a light switch for a standard light switch a three way light switch and a four way.

The red and black are used for hot and the white neutral wire at the switch box allows for powering a timer remote control or other programmable switch. The common is for the live wire that supplies the input voltage to the switch.