How to locate wires, a light to switch

Lets say you have a light and a switch and you don't know what wire goes where. You will need a meter for this so you might want to think about buying one if you don't already have one. I posted a cheap one to the right for reference. You don't have to spend allot of money on one.

How to locate wires, a light to switch

If you have any questions please ask in the comment link below, I will answer them to the best of my ability, also if you have future projects that you would like step by step instructions please post in the comment box I will usually answer the same day.

1) Tools

a) meter

b) screwdriver

c) thin flat screw driver

2) Remove the plate cover from the switch. This will be the easiest part of your project. On the top and bottom of the switch there will be small screws. You will need the thin flat head screwdriver to remove these. If the location you are installing the switch has multiple switches you will need to remove all the plate screws. Then remove the plate and place the screws and the plate together for replacing later. Do not lose those little screws believe me they are easy to lose.

3) Remove the switch. OK the fun part. Take a drill or a Phillips head screw driver and take out the screws on the top and bottom of the switch. Now grab the yoke of the switch(that's the top and bottom of the switch) do not grab the switch by the side we want to be sure the power is off and the only way to do this is to pull out the switch. The power is located on the side so if you grab it by the sides and for some reason the power is still on you will get shocked. This is electricity SAFETY FIRST!!!!! So grab the yoke and pull out the switch. If you are in a box with multiple switches you may need to remove multiple switches to be able to pull your switch out far enough to easily work on it. Wires commonly get stuck behind other switches so take the extra step you will wind up doing it anyway after trying to work with short wires and fail. Trust me I tried too.

4) Test the switch and light. When using a meter you will always set it to a voltage higher than what you are working on. Your light is 120v so you will set it to a number higher than that.(probably 200v AC). Your meter has two leads black and red. One will go to the metal box or bare wire in the box and the other lead goes to what you are testing.

a) Make sure the switch is in the off position.

b) Turn the switch to the off position

c) Test both screws on the switch, one of them should have no power. The screw that has no power has the switch leg connected to it. That's the wire we want so take note of the color.

d) Go to the light and test which wires do not have power.

e) Turn the switch to the on position.

f) Go to the light and find the one that was off before but now is on. That's the wire for the light

g) Make sure you have a neutral. So put one lead on the light wire and one lead on the white wire. If your meter should show power.

If you found this helpful please click on one of the ads at the top or bottom of the page for support.

John

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. I can not be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Adding a receptacle in opposite wall of existing receptacle

There are a couple different ways to add a receptacle in an adjoining room without causing drywall damage. This article will talk about adding one in between the same two wall studs as the receptacle you are pulling the power from.

Adding a receptacle in opposite wall of existing receptacle

If you have any questions please ask in the comment link below, I will answer them to the best of my ability, also if you have future projects that you would like step by step instructions please post in the comment box I will usually answer the same day.

1) Tools and Materials

a) cut in box (inch and a half deep at least)

1) get the metal box with hangers attached

b) romex (14/2)

c) romex connectors (1 metal and 1 plastic snap in)

d) Meter

e) wire strippers

f) wire nuts

g) Stud detector(maybe)

h) razor knife

i) ground screws

2) Remove existing receptacle. When removing a receptacle you should always turn the power off first. You can use your meter or turn the power off to the house. When using a meter turn the meter to AC voltage. Always set it at a higher voltage than the one you are working on, probably 200ac.

a) Remove the plate cover. This will be the easiest part of your project. On the top and bottom of the switch there will be small screws. You will need the thin flat head screwdriver to remove these. If the location you are installing the switch has multiple switches you will need to remove all the plate screws. Then remove the plate and place the screws and the plate together for replacing later. Do not lose those little screws believe me they are easy to lose.

b) Remove the receptacle. When removing the receptacle always grab the receptacle by the yoke. That's the top and bottom of the receptacle, the power is located on the side and if you neglected to turn the power off you will get shocked.

c) Test the receptacle with your meter, from the silver screw to the gold screw and make sure it is off and remove the wires.

3) Knock out a 1/2" hole in the top of the box you just took the receptacle out of. All boxes have knock outs precut in the boxes, so you will have to knock it out. This may take a little time depending on the box.

4) Cut hole in the opposite wall. Before you do this make sure your hole is in between the same two studs that your existing box is in between or you will be patching. Use the stud finder for this.

a) Take a pencil and mark where you want to put the box(not directly behind the existing box, you probably don't have the room). Measure other receptacles in the room for height.

b) Place your cut in box against the wall with the opening facing the wall and trace it out with a pencil. Better too small than too big so make it tight. If you have to make it a little bigger for the box to fit it, in that's fine.

c) Make sure the box fits.

5) Feed the new wire. There are a couple of techniques here depending on what you are doing. I will talk about one today.

Romex

a) Run some romex through the hole in the box to the hole you just cut in, do not cut the romex yet. Go to the other side of the wall and grab it. Pull enough out to work with(about 2 feet).

b) Go back to the other side and measure about a foot out of the box and cut. Slide the romex connector up the romex and snap into the hole.

c) Slice the romex with your razor knife. Be sure to cut in the flat side of the romex and uncover the wire. Cut any excess sheathing and paper.

d) Connect hot to black, white to white and bare to either ground screw or ground wires in the box, and pigtail the wires. That means a group of wires in a wire nut with one wire coming out to connect to a device.

e) Connect the wires to the receptacle and put back.

f) Go back to the other side and grab the cut in box. Put in the ground screw now if you have a metal box and knock a hole in the top.

g) Now take the romex and slide the metal romex connector as far up as you can and tighten it to the romex. Make sure you take the locknut off the romex connector. Position the romex so when you slide the box in the wall you will be able to put it in the hole in the top of the box.

h) Slide the box in the hole and slide the romex into the top. Put the locknut on the romex connector and tighten. Now tighten the hangers so it secures itself to the drywall. Make sure it is level.

i) Attach the ground wire to the back of the box via ground screw.

j) Attached the new receptacle and screw in.

k) Put the receptacle plate on, turn the power on and test.

If you found this helpful please click on one of the ads at the top or bottom of the page for support.

If you found this helpful please click on one of the ads at the top or bottom of the page for support.

John

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. I can not be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Fan needs switch for lights on fan, not fan

Many fans are switched on and off with the light, and this gets annoying. If you have a newer home this may be a simple fix for you. If not you may have to run extra wires. I would go through the steps even if you have an older home, you may get lucky and the wire may be there. Also if your house is run in pipe you will have to do a couple of extra steps but very easy also.

Fan needs switch for lights on fan, not fan

If you have any questions please ask in the comment link below, I will answer them to the best of my ability, also if you have future projects that you would like step by step instructions please post in the comment box I will usually answer the same day.

1) Tools.

a) Thin flat head screw driver

b) Phillips head screw driver

c) drill(optional)

d) wire strippers(maybe)

e) ac tester

f) tape

2) Shut the power off to the switch. If your old switch still works (yes people change switches that still work) turn it on. Go to your panel (your panel has the breakers or the fuses in it) and turn the breakers off one by one. Changing a switch is a one man job but if you want to avoid running back a forth another person standing there and yelling at you when the light shuts off helps. Or shutting all the breakers off and the main just to be sure is what I would recommend. This is electricity SAFETY FIRST!!!!!

3) Remove the plate cover from the switch. This will be the easiest part of your project. On the top and bottom of the switch there will be small screws. You will need the thin flat head screwdriver to remove these. If the location you are installing the switch has multiple switches you will need to remove all the plate screws. Then remove the plate and place the screws and the plate together for replacing later. Do not lose those little screws believe me they are easy to lose.

4) Remove the switch. OK the fun part. Take a drill or a Phillips head screw driver and take out the screws on the top and bottom of the switch. Now grab the yoke of the switch(that's the top and bottom of the switch) do not grab the switch by the side we want to be sure the power is off and the only way to do this is to pull out the switch. The power is located on the side so if you grab it by the sides and for some reason the power is still on you will get shocked. This is electricity SAFETY FIRST!!!!! So grab the yoke and pull out the switch. If you are in a box with multiple switches you may need to remove multiple switches to be able to pull your switch out far enough to easily work on it. Wires commonly get stuck behind other switches so take the extra step you will wind up doing it anyway after trying to work with short wires and fail. Trust me I tried too.

5) Check and make sure power is turned off!!!!This is the most important part of this project. Your tester should have a black and red lead on it. Set your tester to 120v ac and place one lead on one of the screws of the switch and the other lead on the metal box. If you don't have a metal box then you definitely have romex and you will have bare wires in the box. These bare wires are your ground, place your other lead on the bare wires. If you do not have a metal box or bare wires Stop and call an electrician, we need to ensure the power is off. I'm sorry but we don't want anyone getting hurt. While keeping your one lead on either the box or the bare wires place the other lead on each screw ensuring that your meter shows no power. I don't want to scare anyone but it does hurt when you get shocked and most importantly it can kill you. Electricity is fun for me and I work with it everyday but you probably don't, so be careful.

6) Find the switch leg. Turn the power back on. If you wondering why I made you check in the last step, I would like you to learn how to use your tester with the power off first. So now with the power on and the switch in the off position, test the two screws on the switch. One should be on and the other off. We want the one that is off(also called the switch leg). Mark it with tape and turn the power back off.

7) Trace the wire. You must follow the switch leg into the box. We need to see where it is coming from in the box. You need to know exactly which romex this wire is coming from, or which pipe the switch leg is coming from.

Romex

a) If you have romex, it should be coming from a wire that has a black, red, white, and bare wire. If you have this, the red and black may be spliced together, separate them and reconnect one of the wires to the switch then turn the power on. Turn the switch to the on position, if only the light or the fan turned on install a double stack switch.

b) If you had the red wire and the fan and the light still turned on, you will have to take the fan down and make sure you have a red and black in the fan box and that they are not connected together. If they are seperate them and connect them idividually to the fan.

c) If you had no red wire in box, check in the fan box while you have it down. You may have a wire that always stays on in the box. Many people are satisfied pulling the chain for the fan and switching the lights. So you will have to take the fan wire from the fan(usually full black) and connect it to the wires that are constantly hot(with the power off of course).

Pipe

a) Check to see if the switch leg is spliced to another wire, if it is, separate and reconnect one of the wires to the switch then turn the power on. Turn the switch to the on position, if only the light or the fan turned on, install a double stack switch.

b) If you did not have and extra wire connected to your switch leg you will need to take the fan down and run a new wire to the fan. Either add a second switch or pigtail the constant hot wire on the switch, to use the chain on the fan. Check in the fan box while you have it down. You may have a wire that always stays on in the box that you can connect to eliminating the need to run an extra wire. If you go this route you will have to take the fan wire from the fan(usually full black) and connect it to the wires that are constantly hot(with the power off of course). But if you have pipe why not run an extra wire and install a double stack switch.

If you found this helpful please click on one of the ads at the top or bottom of the page for support.

John

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. I can not be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document

Trouleshooting a Bathroom Light

When the bathroom lights don't work and everything else does, go threw a small check list before calling a electrician.

Troubleshooting a Bathroom Light

If you have any questions please ask in the comment link below, I will answer them to the best of my ability, also if you have future projects that you would like step by step instructions please post in the comment box I will usually answer the same day.

1) Check the breakers. One of the easiest trouble calls for an electrician is when the breaker is off and the customer didn't realize it. If the breaker trips, it will sit in between the off and the on position. More often than not it will not go completely to the middle position but lay real close to the on position. Save yourself some money and turn each breaker off and then on again to ensure you have no tripped breakers.

2) Test the GFCI in the bathroom. If you don't have a tester, plug a lamp in, if the lamp does not turn on reset the GFCI in the bathroom. If the GFCI does not reset replace it, that's the problem.

3) Look for additional GFCI'S. Many times there will be a separate GFCI controlling the lights, or even a GFCI in a different location(another bathroom) controlling the lights.

4) Check the light bulbs. This should be number 1 but if you didn't start off with out me telling you, now you know the troubleshooting steps.

5) Check the switch. This link will tell you how to do that. Single Pole Switch

If you found this helpful please click on one of the ads at the top or bottom of the page for support.

John

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. I can not be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

How to install a Switch/GFCI Combo

Installing a switch/gfci combo may confuse but it is easier than you may think. Just take a deep breath and lets simplify it. This article is going to assume you are replacing a switch to a switch/gfci combo.

How to install a Switch/GFCI combo

If you have any questions please ask in the comment link below, I will answer them to the best of my ability, also if you have future projects that you would like step by step instructions please post in the comment box I will usually answer the same day.

1) Tools.

a) Thin flat head screw driver

b) Phillips head screw driver

c) drill(optional)

d) wire strippers(maybe)

e) ac tester

f)white and black tape

2) Shut the power off to the switch. If your old switch still works (yes people change switches that still work) turn it on. Go to your panel (your panel has the breakers or the fuses in it) and turn the breakers off one by one. Changing a switch is a one man job but if you want to avoid running back a forth another person standing there and yelling at you when the light shuts off helps. Or shutting all the breakers off and the main just to be sure is what I would recommend. This is electricity SAFETY FIRST!!!!!

3) Remove the plate cover from the switch. This will be the easiest part of your project. On the top and bottom of the switch there will be small screws. You will need the thin flat head screwdriver to remove these. If the location you are installing the switch has multiple switches you will need to remove all the plate screws. Then remove the plate and place the screws and the plate together for replacing later. Do not lose those little screws believe me they are easy to lose.

4) Remove the switch. OK the fun part. Take a drill or a Phillips head screw driver and take out the screws on the top and bottom of the switch. Now grab the yoke of the switch(that's the top and bottom of the switch) do not grab the switch by the side we want to be sure the power is off and the only way to do this is to pull out the switch. The power is located on the side so if you grab it by the sides and for some reason the power is still on you will get shocked. This is electricity SAFETY FIRST!!!!! So grab the yoke and pull out the switch. If you are in a box with multiple switches you may need to remove multiple switches to be able to pull your switch out far enough to easily work on it. Wires commonly get stuck behind other switches so take the extra step you will wind up doing it anyway after trying to work with short wires and fail. Trust me I tried too.

5) Check and make sure you have a neutral and ground. We cannot proceed with this job unless you have a neutral in the box, so check. You need to look for a white wire or gray wire in the box. If you house is older, you may not be able to tell and that's where you need the meter. You will have to turn the power back on for this so be careful. Touch one of you leads to what you think is the neutral and the other lead to the metal box, if you have power that is NOT the neutral. If you don't have power touch one lead to the supposed neutral and the other to both of the screws on the switch, if it shows power on your meter you found the neutral. Mark it with white tape. You will probably need to add a ground screw with a 8" piece of ground, or in the least connect a wire with the other grounds on the box to connect to the device.

6) Find the hot wire. One of the screws on the switch always has power so what you want to do is find it.

a) Put the switch in the off position

b) Take your meter and put one lead on the metal box or bare ground wires in the box and the other lead to each screw on the switch. Find the hot wire and mark it with back tape. Shut the power off.

7) Remove the wires from the switch.

8) Install the Switch/GFCI combo. The top is the switch and the bottom is the GFCI, we will wire the switch first.

a) Your device should have one side that connects the top and bottom screw, if it does not you will need two 6" black wires. Strip both ends of the 2 wires about an inch and connect one side of the two wires to the hot wire you marked with black tape.

b) Connect the wire or wires to the hot side of the device. An easy way to distinguish what the hot side is, is to look at the two bottom GFCI screws. One of these screws is silver, the other screw is your where you will connect your hot wire to.

c) Connect the remaining original switch wire to the other side of the top of the device

d) Connect the white wire to the silver screw. Make sure that when you put the wire under the screws they are completely under the screws.

e) Connect the ground wire.

9) Installing the new switch. Your switch/GFCI at this point should be facing you. OK now carefully push the switch into the position. While pushing the switch in, the wires should be pushed in so they fall easily into the box. It takes practice so get the wires in there so it doesn't look like a knot. The two screws on the switch's yoke should be lined up with the holes on the top and bottom of the box. Screw the top one in almost all the way. Now screw in the bottom one so the yoke touches the drywall. Finish screwing in the top screw so the the switch is snug to the drywall. Do not over tighten just snug. This probably made the bottom one lose so make that one snug too. Now test the switch and the GFCI

10) Finishing. Put the plate back on. Please for me sure your screws are all facing the same way on your plate(i know but its a pet peeve) If your box has multiple switches you may need to slide your switch left or right to get the plate on. Turn the power on because you just finished installing your first switch. Enjoy

If you found this helpful please click on one of the ads at the top or bottom of the page for support.

John

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. I can not be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Things to know about 3way digital dimmers

If you want to dim a light that is controlled by 2 switches you are going to have to decide 1 thing. Do you want to dim from both locations or just one? If you want to dim from one location you can not use a digital dimmer. A digital dimmer will only work if you have two of them in every switch location. One master and the rest slaves.

Things to know about 3way digital dimmers

If you have any questions please ask in the comment link below, I will answer them to the best of my ability, also if you have future projects that you would like step by step instructions please post in the comment box I will usually answer the same day.

1) Never install a digital dimmer with the power on. Digital dimmers have electronics in them and the slightest short will destroy them.

2) Most digital dimmers usually work with a control wire.

3) Your switches have 3 wires connected to them, one switch has a constant hot and two travelers, and the other switch has the wire going to the light(switch leg) and the same two travelers.

4) You are going to need to identify one of the travelers. It would help if the colors were different in the box so you can visually identify the wire. If not, you will need to use a meter and perform a continuity test.

5) Digital dimmers have 3 screws to connect to or 3 wires. Read the instructions, the wire you found needs to be connected to a specific screw or wire on the switch.

6) The master switch should go in the box with the constant hot.

7) On the bottom part of the face of the switch there is normally shut off switch just in case the power is on to avoid blowing up any of the circuitry.

8) Never overload the dimmer switch. Switches come in 2 common watt sizes, 600w and 1000w. All you have to do is look at the bulbs in the light and see what size bulbs you have in there. Add them up and make sure the dimmer switch has a higher rating than your total wattage. (ex. if you have 10 recessed lights with 65w per light, 65x10=650w, you will need a 1000w dimmer.

If you found this helpful please click on one of the links at the top or bottom of the page for support.

John

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. I can not be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

How to test a three way switch

If your going to test a switch your going to need one thing. A meter, now you don't need an expensive meter just something that shows current. Something that looks like the one on the top right of this page.

How to test a switch

If you have any questions please ask in the comment link below, I will answer them to the best of my ability, also if you have future projects that you would like step by step instructions please post in the comment box I will usually answer the same day.

1) Tools.

a) AC meter

b) Phillip head screw driver

c) skinny flat head screw driver

2) Remove the plate cover from the switch. This will be the easiest part of your project. On the top and bottom of the switch there will be small screws. You will need the thin flat head screwdriver to remove these. If the location you are installing the switch has multiple switches you will need to remove all the plate screws. Then remove the plate and place the screws and the plate together for replacing later. Do not lose those little screws believe me they are easy to lose.

3) Remove the switches. OK the fun part. Take a drill or a Phillips head screw driver and take out the screws on the top and bottom of the switches. Now grab the yoke of the switch (that's the top and bottom of the switch) do not grab the switch by the side we want to test the switches and the only way to do this is to pull out the switches. The power is located on the side so if you grab it by the sides you will get shocked. This is electricity SAFETY FIRST!!!!! So grab the yoke and pull out the switches.

4) Testing a 3 way switch. A three way switch has three screws.

a) Start with your switch in the down position

b) Set your meter to AC. There may be multiple voltages to set to on the meter, you just need to put it at a voltage higher than what you are working on. So if you are working on a light or receptacle (120v) it will probably be 200.

c) Put one of the leads of the meter on the metal box, if you don't have a metal box you will have some bare copper wires in the box, put it there. Take the other lead and put it on the black screw. What we are looking for is for the black screw to have power when the switch is in one position and not when it is in the other so flip the switch up and down. If your black screw always has power skip to (h). If your black screw has power then does not have power, depending on the position of the switch, so far so good.

d) There are two gold screws on the switch, one has power right now, find it and keep note which screw it is.

e)Now flip the other switch that controls the same light (if you have a switch with three screws and three wires on it, there is more than one switch controlling your outlet) and come back to the switch we are working on and test the other gold screw, you should have power there now. If you do not get power in the other screw your problem is in the other switch and skip to (e)

f) If before, your black screw had power in the up position it will now have power in the down position. So test your black screw again, up and down, power no power. If your switch follows these rules your switch is fine and you need to test the other switch.

g)Test the black screw on this other switch and make sure you always have power on the black screw whether the switch is in the up or down position.

h) If your reading this I'm sure your getting confused but don't worry I am not explaining how it works, just how to test it so take your time and go step by step. You are at the power side of the three way switch. We are going to test the other two screws. Put one lead on the box or ground wires and the other lead on one of the gold screws. You should have power on this screw when the switch is in one position and not have power when the switch is in the other position. Test the other gold screw the same way, if your switch does not work this way, you have a bad switch, if it does go back to (d) and test the other switch. If you already tested the other switch the problem is not in the switches.

If you found this helpful please click on one of the ads at the top or bottom of the page for support.

John

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. I can not be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.