Light switch 120v LED indicator

[JyNx]

Well I'm not master of AC or DC I just dabble in things. I know this is super simple I'm just missing something.
I have a good old fashion 120v AC light switch that turns on a light bulb outside around the corner of the house. I wanted to put a 120v LED indicator light in the current light switch plate I drilled the proper hole wired it up like I was adding a normal 2nd 120v ac light bulb to the circuit but when the switch is turned on only the LED comes on.
This is the LED I bought https://www.mouser.com/Search/Produ...rtualkey69600000virtualkey696-LXR9126SID110V6
Any help would be appreciated. Feel like a complete noob =/

 

[ronsimpson]

It is hard to know what you did.
So you connected the LED from the output of the switch and to what (neutral)

If the out side light does not work then:
1) Check the light its self.
2) Is the hot wire from the switch connected?
3) Did neutral get cut?

 

[JyNx]

1) Both the LED and the Light bulb work tested both.
2) ok hot wire from switch connected to where sorry i don't follow to the postive lead of the LED or to the switch?
3) neutral is great.

 

[alec_t]

The LED needs to be wired between switched-live and neutral, so that it is in parallel with the bulb. Unless you have neutral available in your switch box the LED can't be wired like that.

 

[Misterbenn]

I'm in the UK so i'm making a large assumption that US (?) wiring is done in the same fashion as the UK.

So in the light switch box you should only have live and switched live available. Neutral is not usually available except at the light fitting itself.
If you have three wire (+ ground) in the box then you might have a neutral connection.

Assuming you've wired it up across the live and switched live then the LED will come on only when the switch is in the off position. In the off position the switched live is at neutral potential. When the switch is on the switched live would be live so the LED is off.
I suggest you flick the switch so the LED is off and the go look outside.

 

[ronsimpson]

Like this?

 

[AnalogKid]

With the LED in parallel with the bulb as in ron's drqwing, it should come on whenever the outside bulb is energized, even if the outside bulb has burned out. If you put the LED in series with the bulb, then the bulb will not come on because the LED acts as a large series impedance that reduces the energy available to the bulb by 99%-ish.

What you haven't said is what you are trying to achieve. Do you want the LED to come on when the switch is in the on position? Or go off when the switch is in the on position? If that is all, I have to wonder why, but it doesn't affect the answer. If you want the LED to indicate whether or not the outside light has burned out, that is a very different wiring problem. In lieu of photos, how many wires are inside the switch box? What are the colors, pairings, and locations?

ak

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

What you could use is a Neon type appliance indicator wired across the switch itself, just that the neon will light when the outside lamp is off, But it will indicate if the outside lamp is burnt if it does not light in either position.
Not sure if that LED will do the same?
Max.

 

[alec_t]

Not sure if that LED will do the same?

It should: it's rated for mains voltage so must have a dropper of some sort in series with the LED proper.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

It should: it's rated for mains voltage so must have a dropper of some sort in series with the LED proper.

The specs say a 120 VAC rated LED packaged accordingly.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Typically in the US, you will find Neutral wired at the fixture and not at the switch. One of the white wires would be "taped hot" . Black Electrical tape to indicate a "switched hot wire". You can find instances where neutral is wired into the switch. I believe the NEC has mandated that 3 conductor with ground is now required to be in the switches because of automation systems.

So, we can't say anything but: The LED goes between neutral and switched hot and you may not have neutral available. White is not necessarily neutral. It could be "switched hot".

At dome point I got lucky. There was a dual switch plate for a hall and attic light. the attic light was accidentally left on multiple times. A lamp+switch unit was purchased where the switch went horizontally. So it fixed both problems. I can't even find one onlne. The pate used would be a switch + duplex outlet except one outlet cutout would have a horizontal switch and one would have a light.

 

[ronsimpson]

I think the problem is that he wired the "LED", in series with the bulb. The LED will work but the bulb will not.
OR
The wire going to the bulb is not making contact.

 

[Les Jones]

Once again we are into a guessing game. If the OP told us how he connected it up the question would be easy to answer.

Les.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

I used somethig like the 5226, here: **broken link removed**

 

[shokjok]

Show us a photo of your setup. Then we can be of more assistance.