# two switches, two lights, one box



## secutanudu (Mar 15, 2009)

Connect all 3 whites together.

Connect 1 black from each 14/2 (the ones going to the lights) to each switch, it doesn't matter which screw.

You should now have the incoming black remaining. Cut 2 short (8 inches or so) lengths of black wire, put those two into a wirenut with your incoming black. Connect the other ends of the short wires to the other screws on your two switches.


----------



## andrew79 (Mar 25, 2010)

bfan781 said:


> Does anyone want to take a moment to explain to me how I can wire two switch to two different lights. I have power coming into the switch box and a 14/2 to each light. I want to put two individual switches in a double gang box to control each light. Any help would be awesome!


on the incomming power make two pigtails(two 6" pieces of wire) and marrette them with the feed. Take one pigtail to one switch and the other pigtail to the other switch. Tie the black from the one light to the unused screw on one switch and the black from the other light to the unused screw on the other switch. Join all your neutrals together(marrette) and install switches with screws to the right.


----------



## hayewe farm (Mar 15, 2009)

Or if a drawing will help


----------



## bfan781 (Mar 11, 2010)

Perfect. Thanks for your time. A diagram is worth a thousand words sometimes!!!


----------



## Wjosephsimpson (Apr 3, 2015)

What happens with the ground wires?


----------



## Wjosephsimpson (Apr 3, 2015)

*2 lights, 2 switches in one box.*

I got how to wire the white and black wires but what I am confused on is the ground wires. Do I need to wire nut the 3 bare ground wires together with 2 short wires to ground to both switches?


----------



## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

Wjosephsimpson said:


> I got how to wire the white and black wires but what I am confused on is the ground wires. Do I need to wire nut the 3 bare ground wires together with 2 short wires to ground to both switches?


Yes..


----------



## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

Get yourself a dual pole light switch. It will look like this










Other than that, the other members described it correctly. Wire the 3 whites together. Wire the black POWER wire with 2 pigtails sticking out. Connect 1 to each switch, connect the black wire to the light to the other side. Wire the 3 grounds together, you dont need a wirenut, simply wire all 3 together about 4-6" down & clip 2 off so 1 is sticking out, connect your ground to the ground screw.


----------



## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

Many find the duplex switch to be backward to flip the toggles sideways instead of up and down.


----------



## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

My bad anyways jim. I misread the OP original post. I thought he was attempting to put 2 switches in a single gang box not a double & that was what he was having an issue with. Apologies on that.


----------

