An Ultimate Guide On How To Wire A Light Switch
There are certain things that all of us should know and should be aware of for running your home effectively. How to wire a light switch is one such thing that will come in handy in the future.
Undoubtedly, building and maintaining a house is not an easy task. All of us spend a large amount of money and time in maintaining and repairing all the different aspects of our house. Further, today, it is not an easy task to get the service of a plumber or electrician. It is a costly and tiring effort to employ the services of an electrician for all the small repair and maintenance work in your home.
In this article, the team from Connect Electric will teach us how to wire a light switch and the steps associated with it.
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Before we go and talk about how to wire a light switch, it is important to understand that there two kinds of circuits when it comes to wiring the light switch. They are:
Light Switch Inside Explained
- A connection in which the electricity comes to a switch and then goes to light
- A connection in which the power comes to a switch from the lights
Both of them require a different approach to wire and we will be discussing both in detail.
Before You Start
Before we start the process of wiring a light switch, let us look at some of the preliminary steps and things we should have with us for this to happen smoothly. Electricity can be dangerous, so before you start working with your switchboard and wires, you have to make sure that the power supply to the area or the house has been disconnected.
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You will also require the help of some electrical tools, such as multimeter, screw driver, wire nut, electrical tap etc. in this process. Also, make sure that the light switch that you are using is compatible and good enough for your use. With these things in mind, we can enter in the techniques of wiring a light switch.
Power Comes To A Switch And Then Goes To Lights
In a connection where the power comes to a switch and then goes to lights, you will find two wires each in white and black colour. In addition, there will be two bare wires, which are also called as ground wires.
- The first step to follow when wiring a light switch in such a connection is to connect the bare wires to the steel box. Connect the ground screw, if your light switch has one
- Now, twist and secure the white wires with a wire nut. We would highly recommend you to make use of an electrical tape to ensure that it does not fall off.
- The black wires are the live wires. These are also called “Hot” wires. Connect the bottom terminal with the source wire provided and the top terminal with the other black wire
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Here is the tutorial video:
You can also use a strip gauge to connect the wire to your switch.
- All you have to do is strip the lengths of wire and push the stripped wire into the holes
- Place the white wires inside the box and use a screw to assemble the switch in its position
- Now can turn the lights on
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Add your finishing touches and you can be proud that you have successfully wired your first light switch.
Here is the tutorial video:
Power Comes To The Switch From The Lights
This is a different kind of connection that requires a different approach. It is the easiest way on how to wire a light switch and you should make sure that all your lights are connected in this manner if you get the chance.
- In such a connection, you will find only one wire each in black and white color, in addition to one bare or green wire (ground wire)
- Put the ground wire inside the light box and connect it with the switch
- Connect the white terminal in the switch board with the top terminal of your light switch and the black wire with its bottom terminal
- Insert the switch in the box and fix it in place with a screw. Now you are done and can turn on your main switch
Here is the tutorial video:
Precautions To Take
Like I have said before, electricity can be dangerous that can do a great deal of damage if handled poorly. So, it is important to take some steps or measures to make sure that you or anyone around you doesn’t get hurt during the process.
- Always make sure that the power supply to the area has been discontinued
- Wear proper protective and insulating clothing and good sturdy shoes when working with electricity
- Do not operate any electrical equipment if your hands or body is wet as your body can conduct electricity faster if it is wet
Conclusion
Wiring a light switch is one of those small things that even the most inexperienced of us can do it with proper knowledge. In this busy world, getting an electrician when you need one is no easy task. And even if you do manage to get one, it is likely that they would ask for the unbelievable amount of money for a simple and easy task.
By learning how to wire a light switch, you are not only becoming more self-sufficient and experienced, but you also save a lot of time and energy.
I hope that you have all got what you were looking for. If you have any more doubts or queries about the process of wiring your light switch, feel free to contact us through the comments section and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Also, share the article if you found it helpful so that other may also take advantage of this knowledge. After all, sharing is caring.
