Follow standard color codes that identify each wires function in a circuit. When i removed the switch plate there were 3 black wires no white or ground.
How Do I Replace A Single Pole Light Switch With A
Light switch wires all black. Consider all black wires to be live at all times. Also black wires are often used as switch legs in circuits which is the connection linking a switch to the electrical load. This wire is sometimes red. Or it could be the red wire is the wire going to the fixture and the black wires are the live wires. All home electrical wires made in the us. The easiest and safest way is to use a multimeter to test for current.
When you see a red wire in a light switch box it can mean two things. A single pole single throw switch such as a light switch. The last switch i came to was for an outside light. One of the two non hot black wires is the light feed and the other is a feed to other loads possibly some receptacles but it doesnt matter. It could be there is or once was a three way switch in play. Black means hot white signifies neutral and green indicates ground.
Its essential that you determine which black wire is hot before proceeding. Two of the wires plugged into the back of the switch and the other attached to a side screw. The black hot wire goes to the brass screw or into the hole in the back of the device on the same side as the brass screw. I attached one wire to the top side screw on the new switch and the other two to the other side screw. With the power off connect the black hot wire to the old switch. Like black wires they can also be used in some types of switch legs.
Well cover the easier scenario first. Connect either of the other two black wires to the other screw on the switch. In 220 volt circuits red wires are the secondary live wires. Turn the power back on and turn the switch on. The green or bare copper ground wire if the device has one attaches to the green screw terminal on the switch or to the electrical box. The hot wire in a 120 volt residential ac circuit usually is coated with black insulation while the return or neutral wire is white.
However if you need to rewire a light switch or a plug socket you may occasionally come across two black wires. Knowing which wire does what and goes where is imperative not only in the correct configuration of an electrical system but also for your familys safety.
Gallery of Light Switch Wires All Black
