Wiring help


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Old 11-08-21, 04:42 PM
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Wiring help

I am trying to add couple of lights to this wall that plug is there.On the picture the plug has one black side empty and white side the same.
Can use these to add the wire to a switch and from there to lights?


 

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11-08-21, 09:12 PM
joed
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Yes you can.
But I see wires using the pushin back stab connection. Those tend to fail. I would pigtail all the black and connect using a pigtail to the receptacle. Same thing for the whites.
 
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Old 11-08-21, 09:12 PM
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Yes you can.
But I see wires using the pushin back stab connection. Those tend to fail. I would pigtail all the black and connect using a pigtail to the receptacle. Same thing for the whites.
 
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Old 11-08-21, 09:32 PM
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Using the push-in terminals for in and out use is asking for trouble. You will have problems in the future if the wires are left that way. If your house is wired that way you'll have something to look forward to in the future.

I have hundreds of condos wired that way that I work in.
It's never a dull moment.
 
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Old 11-09-21, 02:12 AM
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I will do like joed said ,since they don't cost much.I am glad to ask the ?.I was going to change all of them to new ones,now I will do it the right way.
Can I use IDEAL Push-In Wire Connectors and take extra wire to new switch too?
 

Last edited by scrambledlife; 11-09-21 at 04:30 AM.
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Old 11-09-21, 11:48 AM
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They're not my favorite but they are UL listed and designed for that application.
 
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Old 11-09-21, 01:06 PM
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Another way,or just the old fashioned way with awing-nut connectors.
 
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Old 11-09-21, 01:14 PM
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I use the newer style 3M wirenuts with the extra wire boot.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 01:44 PM
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Can I use a 5 or 6 ft long wire as pigtail for this switch?
I am using Lutron C-L dimmer switch and with 3 wires (2 lights and one from the receptacle) for the switch box ,it makes too crowded.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 02:44 PM
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Can I use a 5 or 6 ft long wire as pigtail for this switch?
Pigtail to where ?

A pigtail is usually used inside a box and is typically 6-10" long.
Not sure where you'll put 5-6'.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 02:57 PM
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In that case,Can I connect the 2 lights wires together with wirenuts (I really like those 3ms wirenuts) ,putting them in the metal box on the wall and just take a wire from there and one from the receptacle to the switch for the lights?
 

Last edited by scrambledlife; 11-14-21 at 04:23 PM. Reason: I was not making sense
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Old 11-14-21, 05:41 PM
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How did switch come into this? If you are wanting to add a switch then you need to run a cable from this box to the switch box. All connections must be made in a junction box that is accessible. You can't bury any connections inside the wall.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 06:14 PM
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I got you the picture ,the red will be lights locations and blue is the metal junction box that I was going to put inside of wall to the stud and yellow is the receptacle.I was going take a wire from receptacle to switch box(to turn it on and off in the back of the wall in other room on the wall) take a wire from each light and using wirenuts together in that blue color shows the metal box and from there connect the black wire from lights to red on the dimmer and black from receptacle to black on that (Lutron C-L) dimmer and cover up everything.I hope I am not confusing you more.

 

Last edited by scrambledlife; 11-14-21 at 06:39 PM.
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Old 11-14-21, 07:53 PM
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So you're going from the receptacle to the blue junction to each light.
The dimmer is in the blue box ?
OR....
You're going from the receptacle to a switch box with dimmer to the blue splice box and then to both lights ?

All the whites will go together. Black from the receptacle goes to black of the dimmer. Red from the dimmer goes to the two black wires of the lights.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 08:14 PM
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The blue box can''t be "inside" the wall. It has to remain accessible without cutting a hole in the wall.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 08:24 PM
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I didn't realize you were going to bury the splice box.
Are you putting in boxes for the lights ?
All splices must be contained within an electrical box.

Based on that you could bring the wire to one of the lights and then jump to the other one.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 08:27 PM
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I am doing like you said ,All the whites will go together. Black from the receptacle goes to black of the dimmer. Red from the dimmer goes to the two black wires of the lights.But it gets to crowded and dimmer has big box on the back.I was asking ,can I put 2 blacks from lights together with wirenuts and whits(and put them in the metal box) and add single wire from there to red on dimmer with black from receptacle to black and leave the white alone in the dimmer box?
So ,I will have enough room in there.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 08:31 PM
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So I do it reverse,receptacle black to dimmer from red on dimmer to first light and from there to second.Or from red to blue metal box and from there to both lights.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 08:45 PM
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When you do wiring..... you use cable. So you'd need a two wire cable w/ground from the receptacle to the switchbox. Then a two wire cable w/g from the switchbox to one light. Then a two wire cable w/g from one light to the other. You can't just have one wire.... like white or black. Does this make sense ?

Using a deep electrical box you should easily get two cables in the box with the dimmer.
 
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Old 11-14-21, 09:01 PM
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Yes it does I forgot to mention the black and ground.I will use deeper box(If iI can find one,all the boxes are gone in my area mostly metal one).Thanks a million.I finish it tomorrow.
 
 

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