# wiring several recessed lights from 1 switch



## raineydr (Mar 10, 2010)

trying to figure out how to wire several recessed cans from the same switch. any suggestions


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

C'est simple .,

let start from the switch to the first recessed luminaire you take the all the bare wirenut it together { some will have push on connector for it } then take white conductor wire nut together then black all together and do the same thing with next recessed luminaire.

Just remember run in parallel format NOT in series format otherwise your light bulb will be dim or not working properly.

Merci,Marc


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

May I ask, can you wire one of the lights from your switch?

If you can get that far, then you wire multiple lights by connecting the second light to the first light, connect the third light to the second light, and so on.

Parallel circuit (what you want). Connect white (neutral) of second light to white of first light. And connect black (hot lead) of second light to black of first light. The cable is color coded so everything matches.

Series circuit (never used in regular household lighting but may be seen in an electronics lab test jig). Connect black of second light to white of first light. Connect black of third light to white of second light.

Connect all ground wires together wherever they come together (at each junction box).


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## raineydr (Mar 10, 2010)

*dimmer switch connecting to the recessed lighting*

Thanks for the information. Ran into a problem at the switch, I have the dimmer switch and i know that the black from the panel goes to the black on the switch; but I am wondering how to handle the ground and the white wire so it can connect to the recessed light.


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

The whites will just get spliced together in the switch box.

The grounds will be spliced also and connected to the switch.


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## raineydr (Mar 10, 2010)

By splice do you mean capping the whites with a wire nut?
Also, how do I connect the ground to the grounding screw and to the ground which goes to the light?


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## secutanudu (Mar 15, 2009)

Yes, you splice them by putting them in the same wirenut.

You have a ground going to the light, and a separate ground wire on the screw on the box, right? Just put them both in a normal wirenut, or get a special grounding wirenut with a hole in it.


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## raineydr (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks. The info was helpful.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

The wire nut with a hole in the small end is used when one ground wire is long enough to connect to the screw on a switch or receptacle and also have the other ground wires wrapped around its middle (where the wire nut ends up).

If no ground wire is long enough for this, then additional short lengths of bare wire (pigtails) will make all of the connections and should all go into the large end of the wire nut.

With a metal box requiring a direct ground connection, often the screw is in the back where one ground wire can wrap around the screw as soon as the wire enters the box and the wire end is long enough to get to the wire nut.


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## raineydr (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks. Trying now to wire 6--15 amp outlets around the basement wall. Need help with the process of going from outlet to outlet. Does the ground from one outlet get connected to the same green screw of the second outlet?


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

Screws are allowed one wire only, so all grounds get connected together.
You can use wire nuts.


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## raineydr (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks for the help. So the first and last of the 6 outlets get the ground wire connected to the green grounding screw?


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

No. All receptacles get the ground screw connected.


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## raineydr (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks. is there an outlet that doesn't have the screws. maybe just a clamp down or a stick in type


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

If the receptacle unit does not have a ground screw then you make as if you will use the screw that holds the receptacle in the box, but you put the loop of bare ground wire behind the yoke (frame; strip) of the receptacle unit and squeeze that around the screw and against the box lip.

Don't screw it so tight that you strip the threads of the screw in the plastic box lip.


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