Light Wiring 1 - Light Wiring 2 - Fluorescent Lights 1 - Fluorescent Lights 2 - Recessed Lights - Other Lighting - Exterior Lighting
Q. I just bought an 8-year-old house. The living room didn't come with a ceiling light and it's too dark at night. I want to add a ceiling light. There is no reserved wire on the ceiling and I don't want to leave the wire visible. Can a contractor do it, or maybe I can do it myself?A. Some drywall damage is unavoidable. The better the electrician, the less the drywall damage. In my opinion, people are overly afraid of drywall repair. The hardest part is the repainting. You might also consider more table lamps plugged into the switched receptacles. I find that most people don't really want a ceiling light in their living room anyway, but instead prefer floor and table lamps.
Q. I'm planning to install a new, lightweight fixture where none presently exists. I'm looking for an electrical box that will grab onto the drywall from the inside since I won't be able to attach it to a stud. Since there are ways to do this with a switch box, surely there's a special box with ears that will support what I'm attempting. I just haven't been able to find it yet.
A. It's called an "old-work" box. You would use the same box for a switch. Most lighting fixtures today are designed with a flexible mounting system so that they can be mounted on rectangular, circular or octagonal boxes.
Q. Can I place a three-way dimmer switch on one end of a three-way lighting circuit? If so, what will be the results?
A. If you are asking if you can replace an ordinary three-way switch with a three-way dimmer switch, then the answer is "yes," and the result will be exactly what you would expect.
Q. I just purchased a Hampton Bay Windward II Ceiling fan with a light kit and a remote control. I want to continue to control the light from the wall switch. I need to be able to turn the light on when I enter the room. What options do I have? Do I disregard the remote all together? Can I control the light from the wall and the fan from the remote? Again, I must be able to control the light from the wall, so I am prepared to disregard the remote completely if necessary. I installed the original Casablanca myself after having the builder wired for a ceiling fan, so I can connect the new fan the same way I assume.
A. The details of how these things work varies from unit to unit, and they are not well explained in the instructions (probably because they are afraid you won't like it). So just install it and play with it to see how it works. But some things should be obvious assuming you have simple toggle switches on the wall: If the wall switches are off, there is no power to the remote receiver, and so the remote transmitter cannot possibly turn anything on. If the remote receiver only has two input wires, there is no way it can work with two switches. If you turn the light off with the remote transmitter (while the wall switches are on of course), then the only way you could possibly turn the light back on with the wall switch is to turn it off, and then back on again. Some remotes work this way, and some not. One key factor is the default mode (boot-up mode) that the remote receiver enters when first supplied with power (i.e., when you turn on the wall switch). Some default to fan-off/light-off, and some default to fan-off/light-on.
Q. I live in a very old house and I am replacing an old three-way light switch with a new one. When I took the old switch out, there were three wires down one side of the switch. The new switch has one place for a wire on one side of the switch and two places on the other side; one of the screws is black. There are three wires - red, black and white - coming out from the box. Which wire goes to which screw?
A. The important thing is to move the wire that was on the "common" screw on the old switch to the "common" screw on the new switch. The common screw might be in an entirely different position on the two switches. Common screws are often colored black and/or embossed "COM" on the back of the switch in tiny letters. If it is too late to heed this advice, it is acceptable to use trial and error. There are only three possibilities, so it won't take long.
Q. We had a new bathroom light/vent installed. The light and vent both come on. I would like to have just the light come on and put the fan on a separate switch. Is this possible and is this possible for someone who doesn't have electrical experience?
A. It requires replacing the cable between the switch box and the fan/light box. Complicated work for a beginner.
Q. I have a double switch box, which controls different lights. A different circuit powers each switch within this box. Is this okay?
A. You're okay as long as you don't have any "combination" switches with two or three on one strap. I think that everything on a single strap must be wired to a single circuit.
Q. I have to move a light switch. I'm building a wall right where the switch currently is. It turns out that there is a copper pipe running vertically beside the spot where I want to put my switch. I will have about 2-3 inches of clearance between the new box and the pipe. Is this permissible and safe? I know that there is always potential for a leak. However, can this still be done?
A. It's okay. As you move your switch, make sure that all splices and ends of live wires are in permanently accessible junction boxes. Don't bury a splice. There should be enough room for the switch box to be properly installed.
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I am replacing an presumably broken floodlight with a similar two bulb design (non motion sensor) and cannot get the bulbs to light. I'm using a voltage indicator to determine if the wiring is correct but cannot measure the wattage coming through. I am wondering what might cause a properly wired connection to fail?