How to wire a switch plugged in the wall

B

bengo22

New Member

• Apr 9, 2004

• #1

Hello! I am trying to wire a normal two-way switch to a light socket plugged on the wall (120W). I just want to know exactly how I am supposed to wire the switch sing I have 2 wires coming from the wall plug and two from the light, considering there is only two places to "connect" on the switch. Help would be greatly appreciated!
Ben

 

R

Russlk

New Member

• Apr 10, 2004

• #2

It is usual to switch the "live" or "hot" wire. The other wire is "neutral" or "ground". If the wall plug has one blade wider than the other, the wide one is the hot one and will have a black wire connected to it , if it is color coded (USA standard). Connect the hot wire to the switch and one of the lamp wires. If the lamp wires are color coded, use the black one. The two other (white) wires are connected together.

 

B

bengo22

New Member

• Apr 10, 2004

• #3

Thanks alot it's very appreciated!! Ill got try that right now!

 

zevon8

New Member

• Apr 10, 2004

• #4

Please note :

In an above post, the wider of the 2 blades in a receptacle was mislabelled.

The wide blade of a standard duplex outlet found in North America is ALWAYS NEUTRAL and uses a silver or lighter colored screw terminal.


N | | H

G O


Outlet veiwed from front

 

A

andrew2022

New Member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #5

if in the uk, from the mains, black is connected the the blue on the lamp, red is connected 2 the switch nd the brown from the lamp is connected 2 th switch

 

R

Russlk

New Member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #6

Thanks, Zevon8, for setting us straight. I had made measurement on my outlet, assuming that it was wired correctly. Bad assumption!

 

zevon8

New Member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #7

no problem, it's common enough to find outlets that are wired wrong. sometimes things have been wired wrong "upstream" also, always good to check with a meter or one of those plug in checkers with the 3 neon lamps.