6 Wires In Light Switch

Because the electrical code as of the 2011 nec update requires a neutral wire in most new switch boxes a 3 wire cable runs between the light and switch.

6 wires in light switch. With the power coming to the switch and then going to the lights you will notice that there are two black wires two white wires and two ground wires bare wires. A three way switch is different. Connect one wire to the first switch in the box and the second wire to the other switch and connect the black wire from each of the lights to the other terminal on its respective switch. And sometimes a grounding wire which is green or bare copper there may be other wires in the box but you are only dealing with the ones connected directly to the switch.

I m trying to install a replacement hall light and the box has 3 black 3 white wires and no apparent ground wire it is connected to a 3 pole switch. An incoming hot wire which is black. A return wire which carries the load to the fixture and may be black red or any other color except green. Two or three wires will be attached to the switch.

A one way light switch has two terminals which is a common marked as com or c. A two way light switch can also be used in in place of a one way light switch in this instance the red wire from the feed cable is connected to the common c terminal and the red wire going to the light is connected to the l1 terminal. You should also see a green wire called a ground wire which attaches to a screw on the lower left side of the light switch. Wiring a one way switch.

If the light switch has a ground screw on it usually green and at the bottom of the switch connect it now. The white or neutral wires bypass the switch so the one coming from the power source and the one from the light get spliced and capped in the box. The l2 terminal is unused. This is a typical wiring setup for a 3 way light switch with black white red and ground wires.

The other terminal is marked as l1 and is the output to the light fixture. Connect rest of wires to side with 3 screws in the same order as existing switch. The difference between new and old switch is that old switch had separate hot connections for each of 3 switches and new switch has single common hot connection for all 3 switches internally connected. My fixture only has a black white and a ground once i disconnected the fixture in the hall the bathroom light went out as well long story short i forgot how to reconnect it as i got called away for something else.

If it doesn t work switch the lower wires. This is an updated version of the first arrangement. The red and black are used for hot and the white neutral wire at the switch box allows for powering a timer remote control or other programmable switch. Connect black wire to the side with single screw.

First of all we should connect the ground wires to the box. Step 4 loosen the screws holding the terminal wires in place. A metal light switch must be earthed as seen below.