can I combine three light switches into one?
#1
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can I combine three light switches into one?
The original wiring in my '50s house has the basement lighting split into three separate switches. These three switches are all in one small box at the top of the stairs. They are all on one circuit. Several years ago, one of these switches burned out and I replaced it, but at that point the local electrical supplier had a hard time finding the replacement.
Today another switch burned out. Being fed up with having to flip three switches on every time I use the basement I thought I'd combine them, but ran into trouble.
What I found in the box is three copper pairs running into it, each with a black and white. Each pair was wired to its own switch. I presume each pair is the black/hot for each set of lights, but there are no other wires (e.g. neutrals) in the box.
Can I somehow tie these into one switch instead of three? I tried combining the blacks with a wire nut and the whites with their own nut and then used pigtails to put the blacks on one side and the whites on the other side of a single pole switch, but the lights just stayed on and the switch had no effect.
What am I missing? Can this be done?
Today another switch burned out. Being fed up with having to flip three switches on every time I use the basement I thought I'd combine them, but ran into trouble.
What I found in the box is three copper pairs running into it, each with a black and white. Each pair was wired to its own switch. I presume each pair is the black/hot for each set of lights, but there are no other wires (e.g. neutrals) in the box.
Can I somehow tie these into one switch instead of three? I tried combining the blacks with a wire nut and the whites with their own nut and then used pigtails to put the blacks on one side and the whites on the other side of a single pole switch, but the lights just stayed on and the switch had no effect.
What am I missing? Can this be done?
#2
What I found in the box is three copper pairs running into it
each with a black and white.
One of the lights should have a 2-conductor cable that reads 120 volts between black and white when disconnected and the switches are off. (Either a multimeter or test light must be used. A non contact tester won't be accurate enough.) It is probably the light closest to the switches.