AboutBob Sponaugle Expertise Just about any home wiring question. (not appliance repair) I have done all kinds of home wiring for myself, including adding a new breaker box, etc. Please, questions from North America only. Please be specific with details.
Question QUESTION: Sir, I'm attempting to wire a porch light running from
an existing light switch, using a separate switch for the porch light.Both switches are in the same gang box.
I had ran a hot jumper wire from the old switch to the new switch. Is this the right way to do this? And during testing current, I'm getting continuous current through the new switch. Is this a bad switch or wrong wiring.
In addition to answering my questions could you instruct me how to wire this correctly? A diagram would be great!
Thanks very much for your time.
ANSWER: Hi.
Not counting what you just added, do you have more than one cable with 2 wires in the existing switch box? If not, that is called a switch loop, and you can't tap off of there because there is no neutral.
If you have at least 2 cables, then the power coming in will be connected to two short wires, each going to one terminal of each switch. The black wire from the existing light will go to the other terminal of the existing switch. The black wire from the new porch light will connect to the other terminal of the new switch. All the whites will connect together. All the grounds will connect together.
I hope this helps.
Bob
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: OK, So I have a switch loop. Directly below this switch gang box is a receptacle, is there a way to wire this porch light from there? Or do I run from the pre-existing lights?
Thanks again.
ANSWER: Hi.
You can do either, except that you are not supposed to put lighting on kitchen, dining room, or laundry outlets.
I hope this helps.
Bob
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I would be running this light from my living room,
Can you tell me the proper way to wire this( from the receptacle)?
Answer Hi.
At the outlet if all the screws are full on the outlet, you will need to use wire nuts and a short piece of wire to connect the black wires together and the short piece to the dark terminal. Then the white wires together with a short piece to the light colored terminal. The grounds also need to be connected together.
At the switch, blacks to the switch terminals, white wire nutted to each other. Grounds together and to any green screws and metal boxes.
Black to black, white to white and ground to green at the light.
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