Need help finishing switches
- Thread starter Cazzzmo
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FullySprinklered
In the Trades
You'll need a three conductor cable on that run. Black wire powers one device, red wire powers the other. "Two way switches" are called three way switches.
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Cazzzmo
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hj
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Cannot tell from the photos what kind of switches they are. Some call an On-Off switch "2 way" since the handle moves to two positions. If I had to guess, and that is about all we can do, the two black wires with the white wire nuts, feed the switches and the two with orange nuts connect to the other terminals on the switches and go the the "lights".
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Are any of these circuits controllable from two different locations? If so, those would use a 3-way switch and require more wires. Otherwise, if one switch is all there is for one circuit, it's a 'normal' switch.
Without seeing more of the stuff and how the wires run, it's almost like you have to be there to test things out.
Generally, you should switch the 'hot' lead. So, power would go to one terminal of the switch, and when you close it, it transfers that power out on the other wire. A black wire is generally the 'hot' lead. But, the switched lead is 'hot' when the switch is on. Convention calls for a switched hot to be marked as a red wire, if it's insulation is not red. That can be done with tape at both ends. If that is done, it makes things much easier to decipher later one. So, if they did not mark the leads, in one cable, depending on the position of the switch, both the black and white could be 'hot'.
You'd want to start by identifying all of the hot leads when the switches are off. You need one lead to be hot all of the time. The other lead would then go to the thing(s) you want to turn on. At that end, it would also need neutral, which would be constantly connected, and not go through a switch.
What can complicate things is where the actual power source is...it could be in the switch box, or it could be up at the light or receptacle...neutral would be connected, then a new cable would run to the switch so that the power gets to the switch, then when the switch is turned on, it can go back. That's where both the black and white wires COULD have power on them, as a switch leg.
Confused yet? Basically, you need to trace out the wires. There are tools that can do that. You may not have the tools or skill.
Without seeing more of the stuff and how the wires run, it's almost like you have to be there to test things out.
Generally, you should switch the 'hot' lead. So, power would go to one terminal of the switch, and when you close it, it transfers that power out on the other wire. A black wire is generally the 'hot' lead. But, the switched lead is 'hot' when the switch is on. Convention calls for a switched hot to be marked as a red wire, if it's insulation is not red. That can be done with tape at both ends. If that is done, it makes things much easier to decipher later one. So, if they did not mark the leads, in one cable, depending on the position of the switch, both the black and white could be 'hot'.
You'd want to start by identifying all of the hot leads when the switches are off. You need one lead to be hot all of the time. The other lead would then go to the thing(s) you want to turn on. At that end, it would also need neutral, which would be constantly connected, and not go through a switch.
What can complicate things is where the actual power source is...it could be in the switch box, or it could be up at the light or receptacle...neutral would be connected, then a new cable would run to the switch so that the power gets to the switch, then when the switch is turned on, it can go back. That's where both the black and white wires COULD have power on them, as a switch leg.
Confused yet? Basically, you need to trace out the wires. There are tools that can do that. You may not have the tools or skill.
hj
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He has a "bundle" of black wires connected together, so the assumption would be that THOSE are the hot feeds with 2 "spares", probably for these two switches; He also has two individual wires, and again, the assumption would be that these are the "loads" for those two switches. The mystery would be why the switches were not installed when the other ones were.
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