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Does the switch leg come before or after the switch?
Inside the switch, after the switch blade is closed, the current flows through the (purple) switch blade from terminal screw #1 to terminal screw #2. It then leaves #2 and follows the next black wire called the “switch leg” to terminal screw #3 on the light fixture.
What is a switch leg drop?
One method is to bring the power supply in to the light fixture outlet box, and then use what is called a “switch-leg drop” to the switch box, and the other way is to bring power in to the switch box, and then run the “switched” cable up to the light or lights.
Which wire is the switch leg?
The switch-leg is still made up of two wires, but the hot wire connects directly to the switch and the two wires connect directly to the outlet. The second wire completes the circuit by connecting to the house neutral wire in the switch wiring box, instead of in the outlet wiring box.
Why does my light switch have 3 wires?
A 3-way switch makes it easy to turn on a light fixture from two separate locations in the home. Wiring one is slightly different from wiring a single-pole switch. In a standard, single-pole switch, one light switch controls one light fixture—on/off.
How do you wire a light switch so it is always on?
make sure the power is off. remove the switch. disconnect the wires from either side of the switch. connect the wires together. best if you twist them. cover the wires with electricians tape. push the wires back into the hole. turn the power back on.
Does it matter which wire goes where on a light switch?
Originally Answered: Does it matter which black wire goes where when changing a light switch? If it’s a single pole switch with two terminals, the answer is no. One wire is the power to the switch and the other wire goes to the light.
What Colour wire goes to L and N?
The N is for the neutral side or the white wire, and the L is for the load side, the black wire.
What happens if you wire a light switch wrong?
What can happen when you wire a smart light switch wrong? The switch may not work. If you do not connect the switch to the neutral wire, the switch will not have a power supply. If you damage the wires during installation, you could break the switch, or the wires could come loose.
Can I connect red and black wires together?
Red Electrical Wires These wires are typically used for switch wiring as well as the interconnection between smoke detectors hard-wired into the power system. You can link two red wires together, or you can link a red wire to a black wire. Since red wires conduct current, they are considered hot.
How do you wire up a switch box?
Step by Step Run the cable. Cables running parallel to framing members should be stapled no less than every 4-1⁄2 ft. Label your cable. Bring the cables into the box. Secure cables all at once. Prepare the conductors. Connect neutrals first. Connect ground wires next. Hot wires are last.
Does Line go on top or bottom of switch?
Is it on the top or bottom of the switch – Quora. If you are speaking of a single pole switch, doesn’t matter. On a 2 pole switch, box mounted, technically it doesn’t matter, but good practices are line at the top, load at the bottom. If a disconnect switch, always line at the top, load at the bottom.
How do you get electricity from one light switch to another?
Pull a 12-gauge cable from the power source, making sure that the power is off and the cable is dead. Feed it through the back of one of the switch boxes and strip the wires. Run a second 12-gauge cable from the first switch to the second one and strip the wires on both ends.
Do single pole switches need grounding?
If you are replacing a switch a ground is not required, as per the above exception. However, if you’re installing a switch; replacement or otherwise, into a metal box that is grounded. The switch will be ground via the devices yoke and mounting screws. So if the metal box is grounded, the switch is also grounded.
Why are there 2 brown wires on light switch?
It helps greatly when inspecting or trying to sort out someone else’s mess as lunchbox says. The norm in single way light wiring is to have the neutral connected to the bulb/lamp holder at the ceiling rose and bring the live down to the switch and then back as switched live (hence two browns).
Why does my switch have three black wires?
One of the black wires is probably the feed from the breaker box. One is probably a feed to the receptacles. The third one would go to the light. The receptacle wire should be connected to the feed wire along with one terminal of the switch.
What Colour is the common wire on a light switch?
Red, Black, and White are the colors of switch wiring for three-ways. Red and Black are connected to the switches if the White is used for neutral. The White is often referred to as Common, but the colored wires are also used as hot wires.
