Once you have turned off the power to where you will be wiring, you will be ready to wire the light switch. Test the area first with a circuit testing device to make sure there is not any electricity flowing through the area you will wire the light switch. Also, make sure you follow all electrical safey tips.

General Information about Light Switch Wiring:

Circuits usually use either a 12 or 14 gauge wire. The “larger” number indicates a “smaller” diameter wire. Most of the time, you will use a 12 gauge wire for 20 amp circuits and a 14 gauge wire for a 15 amp wire switch.

Choose an accessible spot near the door about hand height. If you are unsure, 45 to 48 inches from the floor is a good height. If there is other light switches in your home, try to install this one at the same height.

While there are a few different ways to wire a light switch, wall switch wiring at the end of the circuit is the most common.

Wall Switch Wiring – End of Circuit

1Test the circuit to ensure all electricity is off.

2The source of power comes through the switch box. The black wire, considered the “hot” wire will lead to the bottom connector on the switch.

3Make sure the “on” position is up and the “off” position is down.

4Most switches will have two ways to connect the wire to the switch. On the back of the switch, there are two little holes, as well as two screws on the side.

5Strip the insulation of the wire about ½ an inch with a wire stripper or utility knife.

6At this point, you can either: push the stripped wire into the hole (OR) curve it into a hook with a pair of pliers, wrap it around the screw and then tighten the screw.

7A box for the light will have been set up and a wire should have been run between the two boxes. The white wire from the source is connected to the white wire from the light. On a metal box, a ground wire connection is necessary and is usually bare or green. On a plastic box, all you have to do is connect all the ground wires together.

8Connect the wire that leads from the light to the top connector on the switch.

9Twist the white wires together and use a cap or electrical tape to insulate the splice.

10Light boxes come with black and white wires, as well as a ground connection. In your light box, the black and white wires need to be connected together. In the simpler lights, the two connectors are easily distinguished as one wire will usually be silver and the other will be brass. The ground wire can either be hooked directly to a metal box or to a connection on the light itself.

11Before you screw in the light switch, you should test your light. Once it is all secure, then test it again to be sure it works properly.

Remember to shut off all electricity before you begin this wall switch wiring project. Always use a circuit testing device to ensure there is not any electricity flowing through the wires.

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Comments (11)

• |2009-07-14 19:06:40 mike d.  - wiring a outside light to a switch feeding off ano
  i would like to wire my outside lights to its own switch. i have installed the lights and ran all wiring into the garage where it terminates at a light switch for inside garage light. can i feed off this switch for the power as well as have another switch operate the outside lights?
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• |2009-11-10 00:35:40 Brad  - Safety first and think ahead for future uses
  I'm not sure what code is in your area but if u can I would either install a GFI receptical in that line before it goes outside and or put this line a seperate circit in the breaker box if you have room.
  Circuits usually use either a 12 or 14 gauge wire. The “larger” number indicates a “smaller” diameter wire. Most of the time, you will use a 12 gauge wire for 20 amp circuits and a 14 gauge wire for a 15 amp wire switch.
  
  It may seem a bit over engineered but for safety, and or children in the area etc I would rather be safe. For future use go ahead and put an outside plug on the far side of the yard, for those jobs that will later require power(weed eater, Frig by the pool, fan or radio)
  
  
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• |2010-01-17 12:03:54 Rick  - Brealer
  I have wired the wall switch black wire to black wire (same post) and the same with the white. I have it wired to a ceiling light that has only two(2)wires, black and white which are connected to the coresponding black and white wires. When I connect the breaker the light will come on, but if I put the switch to the off position it will throw the breaker, am I doing something wrong???????
  
  Rick
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• |2010-01-18 12:50:02 Brad Burditt  - single switch
  I always my circut on a paper to make sure it makes sence. Remember what u are trying to do is break the circut(off) or complete the circut (on)In affect what I think U have done is complete the circut by tying the 2 blk together & then 2 wht together IE light ON. whats happening when you now turn the switch on is you have completed the circut AGAIN IE crossed wires and breaker is thrown. USE BLK wire(HOT ) on switch !1 at top screw & 1 at bottom screw pole wire white NEUTRAL together with a wire nut and tape (Blk Elect tape)This should work as long as U only have ONE switch on the circut
  
  SEE BELOW #7,#8,9
  
  
  
  1Test the circuit to ensure all electricity is off.
  
  2The source of power comes through the switch box. The black wire, considered the “hot” wire will lead to the bottom connector on the switch.
  
  3Make sure the “on” position is up and the “off” position is down.
  
  4Most switches will have two ways to connect the wire to the switch. On the back of the switch, the...
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• |2010-02-15 08:07:59 scott  - Single Pole switch power to light first
  Need some help, I have my power running to the light then to the switch. I have 6 lights in the run and can not seem to get it to work. I have the power coming into the first light, black to white then all the white wire tied together. Then all the blacks are hooked to the lights.
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• |2010-04-18 19:17:19 Anonymous
  I have wire in my ceilin which is hot and put a light fixtur on it,now want two run light switch to this same light
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• |2010-04-19 23:05:26 Cary Parke  - having a problem
  I removed an old light fixture in my bathroom that had an AC Plug. The new light does not have a plug I have a wall switch that has the black wire and red wire attached to the switch and the whites are twisted together. At the wall plug I have a black and a white wire. At the light fixture I have 2 whites one is hot the other goes to the wall plug and the red wire to the switch. How do I make at the light the switch turn on and off the light and the wall plug stays hot all the time?
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• |2010-04-19 23:17:18 Cary Parke
  I removed an old light fixture in my bathroom that had an AC Plug. The new light does not have a plug I have a wall switch that has the black wire and red wire attached to the switch and the whites are twisted together. At the wall plug I have a black and a white wire. At the light fixture I have 2 whites one is hot the other goes to the wall plug and the red wire to the switch 3 Black wires twisted together. How do I make at the light the switch turn on and off the light and the wall plug stays hot all the time?
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• |2010-05-28 10:17:01 Jeff Coats  - Adding a double switch at the end of the circuit
  I currently have a single pole switch at the end of a circuit running a half hot outlet. Just installed a ceiling fan (fan only) and ran romex to the same box as the previously mentioned switch. What I want to do is replace the single switch with a double, have one switch run the fan and the other switch run the half hot outlet.
  
  Currently, I can only get the fan to run and I have my lamp turned on (both at the switch and on the lamp itself). Any ideas?
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• |2010-05-30 15:46:37 Victoria Anderson  - help changing a light switch
  I am trying to switch out an old lght switch. The wires coming from the wall are 1 black one 2 whites ones tied together and 1 gray one. One te switch it is 2 black wires and 1 green wire. How do I connect them?
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• |2010-07-13 13:53:07 joel
  im trying to install a ceiling fan in a room in my house and the old light fixture has on red wire and one 3 white wires to it but there are 3 black wires caped off in the box should i cap off the red wire and use the black?
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