Adding electric for new lighting
#1
06-29-18, 10:26 AM
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Adding electric for new lighting
I added 4 high hats in a room. In the original box there is a line coming in for the original light (black and white) then the hot wire coming in (black) and then another wire which goes to other fixtures on the circuit. The hot was on the black screw single pole switch and the other two blacks were pushed into the back of the switch. All the whites are twisted together into the back of th box. I want to add a single pole two switch to operate the fixture and the high hats separately.
I put put the hot on the black screw, pigtailed two blacks together to one brass screw and the other to the other brass. The lights work howeve the three lights in th other room aren’t getting power when the switch is off. Help please!
I put put the hot on the black screw, pigtailed two blacks together to one brass screw and the other to the other brass. The lights work howeve the three lights in th other room aren’t getting power when the switch is off. Help please!
#2
06-29-18, 11:31 AM
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The seperate light will need its own cable.
The wire to the black switch needs to be removed and two pigtails added. One pigtail to the black scsrew and the other pigtail to the new switch.
The black to the separate light goes to the other terminal of the 3-way switch. The white of the separate light goes to the neutral bundle on the box.
Please do not refer to cables as wires when describing a circuit. It makes things very confusing. Never use backstab connections. They are unreliable. Always use pigtails if more than one wire to a terminal.
The wire to the black switch needs to be removed and two pigtails added. One pigtail to the black scsrew and the other pigtail to the new switch.
The black to the separate light goes to the other terminal of the 3-way switch. The white of the separate light goes to the neutral bundle on the box.
Please do not refer to cables as wires when describing a circuit. It makes things very confusing. Never use backstab connections. They are unreliable. Always use pigtails if more than one wire to a terminal.
#3
06-29-18, 01:24 PM
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Thank you for your reply however maybe I misspoke. I’m replacing the original switch with a single pole two switch. One for the cans other for fixture. So I have 4 black 4 white an obviously ground. One of the black is hot
Last edited by Scubba12; 06-29-18 at 02:00 PM.
#4
06-30-18, 06:18 AM
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Ray thank you! I was wonder about the tab. Just didn’t want to try that for some reason because then if that was t correct I would need to get another one. But now I realize how ridiculous that’s sounds when they are only $10. Thanks again
#7
07-01-18, 11:42 AM
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Glad to hear that. I've been sweating it. Hate it when I make mistakes.
Am I corect you have four cables in the switch box one of which is your power in cable, two cables to the lights and a fourth cable that provides power elsewhere?
Am I corect you have four cables in the switch box one of which is your power in cable, two cables to the lights and a fourth cable that provides power elsewhere?
#9
07-02-18, 09:14 AM
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All neutrals (white) connected together.
Black from one light to screw on non tab side.
Black from other light to other screw on non tab side.
Remaining two black wires pigtailed to the tab side. Tab not removed.
Black from one light to screw on non tab side.
Black from other light to other screw on non tab side.
Remaining two black wires pigtailed to the tab side. Tab not removed.
