# Installing New Light Switch (NOT REPLACING AN EXSISTING ONE)



## BillyD (Mar 15, 2008)

If you have installed a new switch in the wall connect Black feed wire in light box to the black wire to the switch and the white wire to the other side of the switch to the light.The white wire in the light box hooks directly to the light. All you are doing is breaking the "hot" wire to the light. The ground wire is useless if there is no ground in the feeds to the light.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

BillyD said:


> If you have installed a new switch in the wall connect Black feed wire in light box to the black wire to the switch and the white wire to the other side of the switch to the light.The white wire in the light box hooks directly to the light. All you are doing is breaking the "hot" wire to the light. The ground wire is useless if there is no ground in the feeds to the light.


Not right!

Connect the black wire in the ceiling to the white wire(and mark this with a piece of black tape) that goes to the switch. From the other side of the switch, connect the black wire to the black wire on the light fixture, and connect the white wire in the ceiling to the white wire of the fixture.


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## BillyD (Mar 15, 2008)

It is right. He did not ask about code he ask to hook up a switch and what I told him will work. If you want to train them to be an electrician then explain that the current carrying conductors need to be marked with colored tape (not just black) and that the romex has to be stapled, if it is a metal box it must be bonded, etc. Life is getting to complicated. Make it simple if possible.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

BillyD said:


> It is right. He did not ask about code he ask to hook up a switch and what I told him will work. If you want to train them to be an electrician then explain that the current carrying conductors need to be marked with colored tape (not just black) and that the romex has to be stapled, if it is a metal box it must be bonded, etc. Life is getting to complicated. Make it simple if possible.


What color would you use for a switch leg?
Romex when fished through walls and ceilings not accessible require no support.
If it is a metal box feed with romex you ground the box and the device (EGC), not bond it.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Black is your switched leg, but if you are adding a switch, it is going to be what Electricians call a "Suicide Switch". In other words, you will take the White leg on the Romex, and connect to one side of the Switch, then the Black to the other. At the Light, connect the Black leg from the Romex going to the Switch on the screw, then the White Leg, which has the Black Electricians tape on it so that the next "dummy" knows that it is Black, to the Black leg coming from the Romex going back to the Power Panel.

As for Asthetics, you can use Conduit, or Flat Electric channel to cover up the Romex from damage, along with a box that matches.


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## jrclen (Feb 20, 2008)

BillyD said:


> It is right. He did not ask about code he ask to hook up a switch and what I told him will work. If you want to train them to be an electrician then explain that the current carrying conductors need to be marked with colored tape (not just black) and that the romex has to be stapled, if it is a metal box it must be bonded, etc. Life is getting to complicated. Make it simple if possible.


It is very simple to do it correctly. Just as simple as doing it wrong. The problem with doing it the way you explained, is there would be two white wires connected to the light fixture and in the future someone may connect them incorrectly to make the screw shell hot. Doing the job the correct way, as jbfan laid out, gives you a black hot and a white neutral connected to the fixture. Also, inside the fixture box, a person in the future will clearly see a back wire connected to a white wire, a good indication that the white wire is being used as a hot wire whether it is taped or not.


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## jrclen (Feb 20, 2008)

gregzoll said:


> Black is your switched leg, but if you are adding a switch, it is going to be what Electricians call a "Suicide Switch".


All the electricians I know call it a switch leg. :whistling2:


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## Techy (Mar 16, 2011)

or 'switch loop'


but all the same, power to the switch is supposed to be the white


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

Techy said:


> or 'switch loop'
> 
> 
> but all the same, power to the switch is supposed to be the white



After 4 years it is the same!:laughing:


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## Techy (Mar 16, 2011)

okay i need to start ignoring that similar threads deal down at the bottom wow


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