Adding 2nd Light to Switch, Power At 1st Light, Cannot Run Power From There
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Adding 2nd Light to Switch, Power At 1st Light, Cannot Run Power From There
First time poster here!
I have a fun space for my little ones to have a nook to read books and such under some stairs. These stairs go down and turn 180 degrees. We have some bean bags in there and are going to paint the walls like a forest. Anyway, the one light that is in there doesn't illuminate the area around the corner.
The image below attempts to show the situation (not elegantly!). The box on the right is a surface-mount light. Power comes into this area. The right side is where the door is one can walk through and go left around the corner. As one enters, there is a single-pole switch on their left (in blue). I've attempted to draw the steps on the left side that go up. I have added a sconce on the inside behind the steps. The back-side of the sconce is an unfinished storage room. I ran a standard 3 conductor cable under one step and to the switch (had one hole in the wall I'll have to fix).
I thought the power came into the switch, but this is something I clearly should have checked (won't make that mistake again!). If I wire the black to black at the switch and white to white (shown as blue), one light is always on and one light is always off. If the switch is in the standard on position the originally installed light will turn on while in the off position the other light will turn on.
Unfortunately I cannot run power from the original light to the new light because of obstructions, so I wonder if there's something I can do with the cables I have. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
I have a fun space for my little ones to have a nook to read books and such under some stairs. These stairs go down and turn 180 degrees. We have some bean bags in there and are going to paint the walls like a forest. Anyway, the one light that is in there doesn't illuminate the area around the corner.
The image below attempts to show the situation (not elegantly!). The box on the right is a surface-mount light. Power comes into this area. The right side is where the door is one can walk through and go left around the corner. As one enters, there is a single-pole switch on their left (in blue). I've attempted to draw the steps on the left side that go up. I have added a sconce on the inside behind the steps. The back-side of the sconce is an unfinished storage room. I ran a standard 3 conductor cable under one step and to the switch (had one hole in the wall I'll have to fix).
I thought the power came into the switch, but this is something I clearly should have checked (won't make that mistake again!). If I wire the black to black at the switch and white to white (shown as blue), one light is always on and one light is always off. If the switch is in the standard on position the originally installed light will turn on while in the off position the other light will turn on.
Unfortunately I cannot run power from the original light to the new light because of obstructions, so I wonder if there's something I can do with the cables I have. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
#2
Unfortunately I cannot run power from the original light to the new light because of obstructions, so I wonder if there's something I can do with the cables I have.
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I am not sure I fully understand what you are suggesting. Some sort of surface run wouldn't be considered aesthetically acceptable. Do you see any way to wire this with the cables in place?
#4
I wonder if there's something I can do with the cables I have.
ran a standard 3 conductor cable under one step and to the switch,
#6
I ran a standard 3 conductor cable under one step and to the switch (had one hole in the wall I'll have to fix).
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This is in the basement with poured concrete at the floor, but yes, there is an always on receptacle in the storage room and I was thinking of grabbing power from there if this didn't work. It sounds like that's the route I'll have to take, right?
Basically I was thinking I'd run 2 conductor plus ground from the hot receptacle into the light fixture J-box and then the 2 conductor wiring I put in in the pic to a new switch. I'd prefer not to need a new switch, but it appears I would have no choice. I would add a new retrofit J-box for the switch right next to the old one.
Does this make sense? Thanks so much!!
Basically I was thinking I'd run 2 conductor plus ground from the hot receptacle into the light fixture J-box and then the 2 conductor wiring I put in in the pic to a new switch. I'd prefer not to need a new switch, but it appears I would have no choice. I would add a new retrofit J-box for the switch right next to the old one.
Does this make sense? Thanks so much!!
#8
yes, there is an always on receptacle in the storage room and I was thinking of grabbing power from there if this didn't work. It sounds like that's the route I'll have to take, right?
I was thinking I'd run 2 conductor plus ground from the hot receptacle into the light fixture J-box and then the 2 conductor wiring I put in in the pic to a new switch. I'd prefer not to need a new switch, but it appears I would have no choice. I would add a new retrofit J-box for the switch right next to the old one.
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Thanks for the note. Since I cannot run wires between the original light and the switch, I do not believe taking power from there is going to work. It is however possible I'm missing something.
The idea you suggest is interesting, and it makes a lot of sense. Perhaps you could help me understand the mechanics a bit further. Is the following correct and can you help me understand where I am confused?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]520[/ATTACH]
Is this correct? Thanks so much!
The idea you suggest is interesting, and it makes a lot of sense. Perhaps you could help me understand the mechanics a bit further. Is the following correct and can you help me understand where I am confused?
- Original Light
- Disconnect the two power cables and cap them off, leaving just black and white going to the switch.
- I would guess I also would separate from the incoming power and just have the ground going to the switch area to avoid duplicate grounds
- New Light
- Just like the original light, I should now just have one black, one white and one ground cable at the fixture
- Receptacle powered-by the new circuit to run all the lights
- Connect a new black, white and ground cable to the always-on receptacle and run it under the stairs to the switch
- Switch
- The black cable from the receptacle connects to the lower terminal on the switch
- The black cables of BOTH lights are connected to the top terminal
- The white cables going to both lights and the receptacle are combined together in this box.
- Grounds all connect
[ATTACH=CONFIG]520[/ATTACH]
Is this correct? Thanks so much!
#10
I would guess I also would separate from the incoming power and just have the ground going to the switch area to avoid duplicate grounds.
Your diagrams are OK. In this case, of course, you will be T-tapping the black switched power to run two different directions.
Connect a new black, white and ground cable to the always-on receptacle and run it under the stairs to the switch.
If that sounds interesting, post back and someone can describe how that would be connected.