Wiring a light switch?
Question:I have a replacement light switch which I'm unsure how to wire. The original switch had 3 wires connected, two black and one red. All wires are copper. The replacement switch (made for copper) has a ground screw and two side by side screws which are for black wires only per switch label.
I could connect the two black wires where the switch says to but what about the red wire? I don't think it's a ground wire.
Appreciate any advice.
Answers:
Ground wires are green. someone musta used red instead. Hook it up and if it works and you don't blow a fuse, then it's right.
I would try it like this:
Connect the 2 black wires and see if the switch works. If it doesn't work, then you know you need to hook up the red one too...
is there another switch that controls the same lite, if so this is a 3 way switch-
there is a possibility that the red is ground but i hope not
that is wrong,dangerous and stupid, but i have seen stupid people do just about anything
the term black wires mean hot wires, actually ungrounded conductor,,
you are supposed to switch the hot wire
I love idiots like john t-"-you have a,",hell boy,,nobody knows what this guy has yet, so dont tell him how to do something ,,he may burn the house down or worst fry his ***,,then just because you would make the red common, that dont mean the last guy did
***(i like to shorten names when i can)
you should get the 10
good answer,,easy answer
You have what was a three way switch. you can control the switch for two different locations. You must replace the switch with a three way switch. the new switch will have a total of 4 screws 3 for black,black,red and 1 for the ground wire. 1 black wire to common on switch typically brass screw or black it will be labeled on switch. 2nd black wire to either terminal screw red wire to last terminal screw. there is a green screw on the side for the bare copper wire called the ground. hope this helps Good Luck
Sounds like you have a 3 way switch. The switch should have a diagram on how to wire it up. Usually when you wire a house you use 12-2 romex and it has a black white and ground. But when you go to 3 way stuff you gotta use 12-3 and thats where your extra red wire is coming from. I didnt hear you mention a ground wire anywhere that you saw. It is possible that it is grounded from somewhere else, if it is in a bathroom or kitchen it is a law that it is on a GFI or on a GFI breaker. I think you have the wrong switch, can you take the old one to a supply house so someone with some knowledge can have a look at it?
Sounds like you have the wrong type of switch. Get one identical to the one you are removing.
Put the wires on EXACTLY the same screws you took them off of. One wire off, one wire on, if you must. One of the screws will be marked COMMON. Make sure you put that wire on the new terminal marked COMMON.
who is the idiot that said to put a gfci on a switch? that is the dumbest **** i have ever heard. This guy apparently should not be giving electrical advice to anyone. He sounds like a lowe's electrical section idiot.
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