How to Wire Switches and Lights
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- In this video, I show three ways how to wire a light switch and I demonstrate replacement of a dining room chandelier.
➤➤6-light globe chandelier - handydad.tv/86hm
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You're talking to me like I'm a 3 yr old and i greatly appreciate it! This is exactly what i was looking for. Most other videos explain things like the person watching already knows what they're talking about. I appreciate you actually starting at the beginning. I learn better if i understand why I'm doing something. Once again, thank you for explaining everything so well!
Thanks so much. My pleasure.
I am an electrician and you did a great job of explaining a basic lighting circuit. The pointer I have for you is with the problem you had with the lamp cord on the fixture. You are right, typically the ribbed wire is the neutral. A way you could check that is to ohm out each wire to the lamp socket. The tab in the bottom of the lamp socket is the hot/positive and the threaded portion is the neutral/negative. Turn your meter to ohms .You put one of the meter leads on a wire of the fixture, make sure the circuit is off or disconnected and the other meter lead on either the tab or the thread portion. If the meter reads open than its the other wire. We call this, ringing out a wire because most meters will make a tone when you complete the circuit. I know I am not a word smith, but I hope this helps.
I thought of this exact test when I was editing the video. Thanks for the comment.
Ryan Howard 👍👍👍
Hello! We just wanted to say that we felt sooooooo silly trying to figure out why our switch wouldn’t work and nothing on the internet explained it to us. Your diagram helped us so much and we got it to work and feel so empowered that we were able to do it ourselves! Thankyou so much
That’s great! I’m glad it was helpful.
Thanks so much for showing all these different configurations. That kind of information is annoyingly difficult to come by, and I really appreciate it.
Glad it was helpful 👍🏻
The pictures and illustrations are very clear. Explanation is great too. Thanks.
My pleasure. 👍🏻💯
I searched the net for simple wiring diagrams like are shown in this video for 3 days! This video is masterful and full of helpful tips. I only wish it had been titled "How to wire your chandelier including wiring diagrams" or some such way that Google AI could find it! Thanks, this video saved my sanity - no other DIY video out there shows you how to handle the oddball number of wires one typically finds in existing situations - they all assume you have 2 wires coming out of the ceiling and that's frequently not the case.
Glad it was helpful 👍🏻
Great video with illustrations for beginners like me! it helps me a lot. thank you for the nice explanation!
My pleasure!
Hi, I am not a newbie when it comes to electrics, but I am always being asked how to connect a three-way switch where two switches control one light and I have been looking for a well-explained video online. I like the way your videos go into just the right amount of detail without confusing the watcher so I was hoping this video would cover the three-way switch. I know you are not an electrition by trade but the problem with trades videos is that they try to complicate the situation so that the average person will put the work out to them instead of doing it themselves. I also know you are in the USA and don't use earth sheld but that is a simple change to explain. Anyway, the point of this rambling is to ask if you are considering doing any other electric videos and hopefully one on three-way switched circuits.
More complex topic for a future video...
Great video. However, since scenario #1 was easy to understand, is this possible to present more detailed version of scenarios #2 & #3 with some examples. It'll be highly appreciated? Thanks for sharing.
Great video
Thanks so much 😊
Perfect instruction! Thank you so much
Thanks so much 😊
Thanks for the diagrams, just what I needed!!
Glad it was helpful 👍🏻
U r good at almost everything
Jack of all trades, master of none.
Excellent video. Just what I was looking for.
Glad it was helpful
Thanks for this! I have been looking for a good visual and explination of this.
My pleasure
Great video. Please do a video on 3 way switch wiring.
More complex topic for a future video.
@@handydadtv thanks!
Thanks again! So, if you are powering an outlet or another switch downstream from a light fixture, is a 3 wire absolutely required? Or is there a way to do the whole circuit with ONLY 2 wire (assuming there are no 3 way switches or dimmers)?
Assuming power comes into the switch box, the outgoing black wire will be controlled by the switch. Everything downstream will be controlled by that switch.
Thanks for this - the last scenario @ 3:02 matches mine. I wish I would have come here sooner, could have saved myself a bunch of time ;-)
Learned a lesson. Always ask dad first.
Very good explanation. In scenerio 3, where the white wire is being used as the switch leg, you should put some black electrical tape on the insulation at each end. This indicates that the white wire is now a hot wire and not a neutral wire.
I've never seen that done. Not a bad idea though.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to label them as well.
Wow! You are so clear even I can do this!
Thanks 😊
Thnx. Very helpful
My pleasure
Thanks always love to see drawings helps a lot.
Glad to help
this was so much help! thank you!
My pleasure
My question is for when you hang the fixture at the end. You connect the ground and then it seems you connect the red wire from the box to one of the black wires from the light itself. Dumb question but what did you do with the other black connection from the light (connect it to black in the box)?????
When a light has a chain with visible wires like this, the wires are usually the same color. In my case, they are black. But I’ve seen clear, white, brown, etc.
One of the wires on that kind of lamp cord has ribs. The ribbed wire is typically the neutral that gets connected to the white wires in the ceiling. The non-ribbed wire gets connected to the hot.
Excellent video. Thanks?
Very informative. I have a switched light and need to add an additional light. Do I just run black, white and red straight across to the new light? Thanks, I liked your video.
In your situation, you would just tap into the connections on the existing light (ie. take hot from the red wire, assuming that’s switched).
Point is, you don’t need to spend extra on wire that has a red and black. You just need a black wire to run the second light.
Great vid. Any chance you can tell me what scenario two is called? I can't find a detailed video on this for the life of me, and maybe its bc im using wrong search terms. Thanks!
I don’t know if there is a formal name for it. 🤷🏻♂️
So i have a question...i had an old dimmer switch in my sons room go out so I went to Lowes to get a new one. Long story short, when i turn off my light switch the light and all the sockets in the room go out when when i turn the light switch back on, everything works again. The dimmer switch is a 3 pole. I the "live" wire coming into the switch box from the bottom amd the ceiling light wires coming into the light switch box from the top. Help is much appreciated.
Unfortunately no easy answer. Get a voltage tester and figure it out or call an electrician.
Hello, great and helpful videos -- Thanks! Could do a video for the wiring of a "switched outlet" where one plug is "switched" and the other has constant power?? I know a tab on the outlet is supposed to be snapped to "un-link" the two plugs, but from there, I'm not sure of how to proceed. I looked quickly thru your other videos and didn't see one for this, so sorry if I missed it. But if there is an existing video clip, please provide a link. Thanks!
Hi and thanks. No I’ve never done a video on that topic, but you have the gist of it. Just break the tab between the brass screws. Typically the bottom outlet would be on all the time, so connect the “hot” wire there and run it TO a switch. Then connect the other wire FROM the switch to the top brass screw.
Sir I have a question I was wondering if you could help me with. I’m wiring a pair of 3-way switches in my shed. I’m running 12/2 and I’ve got power coming into the first switch that meets 12/2 cable for the lights and 12/3 cable that goes to the 2nd switch that meets the end of the light circuit. Is my wiring setup correct here or does power need to go through both switches first before it gets to the lights? Thanks in advance!
This video will help. The second method is preferred for new circuits because it has a neutral in each switch box, which is code.
th-cam.com/video/M_zDt6iJKdQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks you for your time
My pleasure
I'm not an electrician...just a homeowner double checking my understanding before attempting to wire a new switch. I had no idea that scenario 3 was possible! Is this code, or just an old-school shortcut?
I don’t think it’s code anymore. I never wire a switch like that personally but I’ve seen a lot like that in old homes. I like having a neutral wire so they can be upgraded to smart switches someday.
Hi there, thanks for the great video. I’m a bit concern about what I did and I’m hoping you can help validate and confirm. I also replaced my dining table light fixture which was easy. Followed the same connectors used on the old light fixture. I added an led light as well and ran power from the dining light fixture and use the same switch however, there was no red wire. And I attached both ground wires to the same green screw 😢. I now know running 2 grounds to the same screw is not allowed and I will fix that tomorrow but could you confirm help me understand if the red wire is needed in my case? Thanks so much in advance.
99% of the time, I just replace a light fixture by connecting the new one to the same leads as the old one. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
But occasionally, I come across a mess that I want to understand better and improve. So I'll use a voltage tester to determine which wires are always hot and which are switched. Sometimes the switched wire is black, sometimes white, sometimes red. I just depends on the electrician who did the installation.
First period Agriculture Mechanics from Linden High School says, "Thank you for the video."
Hello Linden! 👋🏻
If you’re doing a ceiling fan can you just cap off the red wire and use the pull chains?
Yes absolutely.
Very clear. Thanks
My pleasure
is it possiblee to use buttons and radom components to make light switch panels ?
Why?
NEW SUBSCRIBER....I APPROVE OF THAT 👍👍👍
Welcome to the family 😊👍🏻💯
I'm working on an historical home and the wires are looped from box to box. Trying to wire a ceiling bathroom light to a switch and the light stays on. Power comes in to where the fixture goes, and they ran a wire to the switch.
So I have 2 wire sets. 1 set is the actual power. 1 set is going to the switch.
How do I wire the actual fixture.
Tried all black to black and white to white and no luck. Either the breaker pops or light stays on. Thank u so much!!
It’s best to connect the new light the same way as the old light. Assuming it’s too late for that…
I would use a multimeter to determine the incoming hot and neutral. Then, with the power off, set it on resistance to determine which wires go to the switch.
Alternatively, Harbor Freight has a cheap detector that can be used to trace wires. Only to be used with power off. This might be a very useful tool for your old house. th-cam.com/video/UAEq-yvjryQ/w-d-xo.html
The light is a ac connection, so the current changes from the black to the white I thought. Or is it alternating from positive to negative on 1 wire?
AC cycles positive and negative between the black and white wires. But don’t concern yourself with that; just respect the black wire as “hot”, regardless of the physical current flow.
I have a problem my ceiling wires are black, red white and ground and my new cealing fan has a black a white and a small yellow one no blue any suggestions on how to connect the ceiling fan with remote
I have a question about 1950 wires to light fixture.
Can’t help you with that one because I have no experience with old wiring.
Im confused, in the Scenario 1, when you say fed from the bottom - you mean its fed from and outlet switch?
I meant power (always hot) comes in from the bottom, from another outlet or switch or anything else “upstream” - meaning closer to the circuit breaker.
I have 4 wires Green, yellow, black and white. Is the green wire the ground wire or the yellow wire ?
When I attached the ground wire (yellow wire) it tripped out my fuse in the breaker room however when the ground wires were detached the light turned on without tripping but the light switch did not help me turn off the light, is it because the ground wires are not attached ?
Secondly, What happens if I don’t attach the ground wire ?
I have no idea what the yellow wire is. Ground is usually green or bare copper. You should call an electrician.
Ground is for safety and required by code. If you don’t connect it, you risk getting shocked.
@@handydadtv thank you
Thank you.
You’re welcome. 👍🏻
Here’s the thing. I’m trying to help a friend connect a wall lamp. Didn’t take a picture of the connection. Aside from that, the wires coming from the wall are multiple. The black wires ar 3, the white wires are 2, and there’s a yellow wire which I believe is the ground. The lamp only has 1 black, 1 white, and a copper wire connected to the lamp with just a screw. I connected the white wire with the 2 white ones, the black wire with the 3 blacks, and the yellow wire to the base or fixture that came with a green screw along with the copper wire that’s attached to the lamp. When I switched on the breaker, the lamp turned on, but as soon as I turned it off, the breaker shut off too. Did I do something wrong? I really hope I explained this correctly.
Please call an electrician.
@@handydadtv Really? So you don’t know what’s going on then? Ok.
It’s impossible for me to diagnose and tell you how to correct a short circuit based on a TH-cam comment without risking your friend’s house or your life. I’m not willing to take that risk.
@@handydadtv And I’m 100% fine with that my friend.
What if power source is at the light,push switch or dimmer switch connect, how to thanks.
Not clear.
New to wiring. And just curious. Why don't you connect the white wires to the receptacle, but rather bypass it in this method? Other than maybe it's code to do this but why?
I don’t understand your question.
@@handydadtv At 1:42 you show the white wires bypassing the receptacle or switch and getting joined together. So my question is, why is this the case, why don't you screw them onto the side where thee would normally go? If you did that, is it that then you would not have a switch at this point? I'm just trying to figure out why you would bypass screwing the white wires down.
You only switch the hot wires, not the ground or neutral. Hot is typically black.
Hi. Anyway of showing power supply coming in to switch than to light and wiring up 4 plugs?
That depends on how you want to wire it. If power will go from the light to the plugs, then you need to use 3-conductor wire from the switch to the light; the black would be constant hot; the red would be switched.
This will help with the outlet wiring: th-cam.com/video/xex8cPv8CtA/w-d-xo.html
@@handydadtv thanks for the video. That's perfect
Can I pull power from panel and wire 5 outlets than use power to power a single pole switch to 1 light? That's where I'm stuck
Can i use 14/2 wire to do that.
Yes. With 14/2, use a 15-amp breaker. If you need 20 amps, use 12/2.
@@handydadtv perfect 👌.
You wouldn't have a video of that would you by chance?
No sorry.
Thanks for the great vids, you've got a new subscriber.
And next, what if you want to control that light from two switches on opposite sides of the room (or top and bottom of the stairs)!?! That gets a bit more complex to visualize with the assorted scenarios for where the power comes into the circuit.
Yes, 3-way switches are a more complex topic. Future video...
holy crap thank you sir!
My pleasure. Glad it helped.
I have a weird question: Kitchen light has 2 black permanently wire nutted together. Another Black wire. Two white wires, both neutral, Except when the dining room light is switched on. Then one stays neutral the other is HOT. So, I wired the neutral white to the Fixture white. I wired the Hot white, Hot Black and the Black of the Fixture together. The Kitchen light works. The dining room light does not work. It worked just fine before. I guessed wrong. Help!
Take the bulbs out of the dining room fixture and test again. I bet that neutral stays neutral. It only appears hot because of the current going through the bulbs. I believe all the whites should be all connected.
Can this process be used for wall lighting
Yes same process
@@handydadtv thank you I will be looking forward to doing this on the weekend
Would it be the same for multiple lights ?
Yes you just run another wire between each light. Connect the black wires, connect the white wires, connect the grounds.
@@handydadtv and how about if I want the switch to come after the lights instead of before?
That’s Scenario 2 in this video th-cam.com/video/wRSgemIxamU/w-d-xo.html
@@handydadtv do you also have a scenario for three way wiring with multiple lights ?
I don’t have a video that explains 3-way wiring, but there are plenty on TH-cam.
How do I add a light switch to scenario 3
You have a light that’s on all the time? If so, just run a wire to the new switch and connect it between the black wire in the box and the black wire on the light, like shown in the video.
Plumbing and electrical are some of the easiest things a homeowner can do if one has a modicum of common sense and willing to read a bit of code.
My fixture has blue and brown wires. Wtf? Plus a ground wire not even attached also for outdoor lite sconce.
I’ve seen blue and brown on imported fixtures. If there are no instructions, connect blue to black and brown to white.
How to wire a ceiling fan
Here are a few I’ve done that might help you:
Ceiling Fan Installation for Renters and first-time Homeowners - th-cam.com/video/VDmpKfXv9vE/w-d-xo.html
WE ADDED A CEILING FAN - th-cam.com/video/KvZzLJmJhtU/w-d-xo.html
Ceiling Fan Support Boxes Explained - th-cam.com/video/Ii938I_PDEk/w-d-xo.html
Patiently waiting for the electricians to chime in on how it wasn't done according to code....
Me too.
What isn't code? Are you referring to the switch loop?
I think it’s just a general observation that pros hate DIY TH-camrs. I’ve come to accept it.
In reality, codes vary by location and are subject to change all the time so you’d need to be a pro to keep up with it all.
So I typically get haters on all my videos telling me what I did wrong. 🤷🏻♂️
Faaak. I"m in North America. Two wires only. Blue and Yellow. :(
Where in North America?
@@handydadtv South Florida, Palm Beach Country. Older home built 1973. I THINK both of them are hot. I mean my tester says they are so... LOL What's crazy is nothing is grounded.
@brianpratt2747 I’m surprised there is no ground, for sure. If they are connected to a switch, one wire should be always hot and the other will be hot when the switch is on.
@@handydadtv Found a crack in the wire causing my bad connection. Cut out the crack and spliced them back together with some waygu connector. Good as new! Thanks for the video
@MuahMan Glad it was helpful 👍🏻
Great video
Thanks!