I’m replacing one of my switches to a switch/outlet combo. I doing a common feed with continuous power to the outlet. I have identified my hot wire (black) but on the existing switch there is a second black wire on the same side.. is this running power back out to another location?
on the other side there is a red wire which I assume is the load wire to the light. This switch only operates one light so I’m not sure what the extra black wire is for.
also, the new light wants me to use the neutral wire.. I know that wire is there to provide continuous power to smart devices but so I need to use it for a basic switch/outlet? I don’t really see a point of messing with it for this switch. Red wire appears to be the load
Top black wire is the hot wire. Second black wire at the bottom is for?
New switch. From my understanding: I will run the hot wire to the “common” black screw Run my red load gold screw, my neutral to the silver (do I need it?) but what about the additional black? Do I run it to the other black screw or cap it?
Last edited by PJmax; 04-17-21 at 04:30 PM.
Reason: resized/enhanced/labeled pics
You know what, Ive been here so long I totally forgot this closet has two switches in it. The other one is behind a shelf as I never use it and don't need it. I did install the switch and it works but the outlet does not (I assume this is cause I didn't install the neutral wire. so now I have these questions:
1. A 3way switch should have 3 poles? this one has 3 plus the neutral but I guess the top 2 poles are for the switch only. while the bottom 2 are for the outlet?
2. If I have no use for the other switch can I just cap the common wire?
3. everything Im seeing and reading suggests that the hot wire should power the outlet. I should not need the neutral wire correct? Its not working now but I think thats cause I put the hot wire on the pole listed as common, but the instructions for the switch saw to install the hot wire there.
Ok to the neutral is on now. I have the load on the gold, neutral on silver, I have my travel and common on the Black screws.
everything works but when I turn the light off the outlet goes off too. I want the outlet to be on at all times.
I assume I need to break the fin for this BUT are the black travel and common wires hot? I don’t want to break to fin only to find out one of the wires is not actually hot
First off..... you need to verify that the black common wire is always live.
With a three way system.... the line/hot is usually at one end and the load/lights are at the other end.
Your common may be the load side of the circuit. That means the receptacle will be switched.
If the common on that switch is the load..... you will need to break the tab off the combo. The common wire goes to the common on the switch side along with the two travelers. Then you keep the neutral on the silver screw and you will need to add a short tail of black wire and connect the receptacle to always live source in the box.
Thanks pjmaxx! So I actually ran out and grabbed a voltage detector. Turns on this switch is the one with the hot wire and it’s actually the red wire previously thought to be the load. So that’s why the outlet is turning off which I think it what your mentioning.
I have no need for a 3way (the one I’m using is a single) cause I don’t use the other switch but I need it to get power to the light. So in my mind I’m thinking I keep the red wire on the load side and pigtail it as you said to the other end of the outlet and break the fin. Then leave one of the travelers on the other side, and cap the other one. Sound right? That should run power to the other switch, and long as it’s on, run power to the light and keep the outlet on at all times.
So this is what I have. I have not cut the power back on cause I don’t want to blow up anything lol.
since this is the hot side of the 2 switches in the closet.. I split the red (hot) into the two whites (white us all is have but will swap them to black) I have one white on the load side and the other on the outlet black screw. I have neutral on silver screw. And one if the travelers on the other black. The fin was broken off so that the outlet will have continuous power.
since I don’t need the 3way setup I cut the other traveler and sealed it with electrical tape.
If you leave the unused switch in the same position then that red will remain hot.
With the exception of using white wire instead of black.... the wiring looks ok.
Hey all,
i am trying to replace 2 different fixtures in a house from 1953. 1 is a ceiling fan one is an OLD light above the kitchen sink.
First the ceiling fan-
i am moving a ceiling fan to the bedroom and I noticed when taking it off the mount that the white wire had only 2 “threads?”. So I had to strip it further back to expose the rest of the threads on the wire.
Now with the wires coming from the plaster ceiling also being kind of short it is nigh impossible to wire them to gather with a nut. I also have no ground. What do I do? Can I use a terminal kit or something?
[img]https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/a6e08478_68bf_47c2_9c16_6eabc15316e1_be87f180b637980a37b11c92ce07fcd8f92bddf3.jpeg[/img]
[i]Ceiling fan with short white wire.[/i]
[img]https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/860bb3a3_d832_4c72_9fe9_2c2fd6dbefcf_43ad81bb20e231287487ad5a46eafa8cf9ff3ed3.jpeg[/img]
[i]Ceiling fan mount area[/i]
Second the kitchen sink light-
this time the fixture is apparently really really stuck in the plaster. I figured I could just put a light over it BUT the wires are super short AND then hole is 4” deep so I’m not sure how to mount a light around a 7 3/4 in square hole (11in on the diagonal). Maybe I could put some wood in there and drill a ceiling box to it? But either way the wires are too short to make. Just use a wire nut?
[img]https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/47c7ef1d_81c0_418d_828c_e1a48c4d5d89_97e214d712a67e99f1ea503eb696078c72840666.jpeg[/img]
[i]Kitchen sink 7 3/4in square with super short wires and no ground.[/i]
[img]https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/1280x960/a2b74386_ea6b_405d_a196_f82ee8e2f958_5debe9cb4a2842829c02ed1c51e28f6269b7661e.jpeg[/img]
[i]Kitchen sink light[/i]
[img]https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/44fa4789_21e2_42d1_95a2_bc5ba5de7443_c1f4a77175fcef64a4119ce2a131e1eda3aa1a3c.jpeg[/img]
[i]Kitchen sink light[/i]
[img]https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/9551bd94_3679_4c11_901b_e365201a6b15_82aaaec520a3afe2973186629a1178076c5ef82b.jpeg[/img]
[i]Kitchen sink light[/i]
[img]https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/c2606ec7_bb88_48a6_8419_09cd82ca0090_89ea198ffc359a6cf757863ec064ca7888413bcb.jpeg[/img]
[i]Kitchen sink light.[/i]
I've got a fan on my porch that won't start. I have replaced the chain switch but that didn't work. I can feel it trying to start but I can't manually spin the blades. What's the best way to unstick the motor or blades?
04-17-21, 01:17 PM
