We’re in the final phase of putting our bath back together.
Tonight we put up the second set of lights only to discover that our electrician hooked both lights to one switch, instead of one light per switch.
So, I’m trying to figure out if this is somethign I can easily fix or if we need to wait until monday.
The switch is a double switch (two stacked switches in one box). If you are looking at the switch from the front, the wiring looks like this:
||
CGB-
C
B
|
C=copper pole
B=black pole
G=ground
There’s two wires leaving from the black poles, one ground, and one wire connected to one of the copper poles. If I swap the copper pole, it just shifts both lights to the other switch.
I can’t tell if it’s just the switch or wires in the box that aren’t connected right, or if I’m missing a complete circuit (and both lights are on just one circuit). The fact that there are two ‘hots’ would seem to indicate that there are two circuits heading to the lights.
Replies
I can't quite follow what you have.
But there are a couple of ways this could have been wired.
One one cable with power coming to the box. Then the hot would be connect to one terminal of each 1/2 of the switch. Then two cables to the lights. With all 3 whites connected and one back to each switch.
Or it could have been wired with switch legs.
Power would come to the box where the fixture are. Then a switch leg is run to the switch. When that is done the white wire is the hot one and it should be remarked with black tape.
You would have two separate switch legs in this case. Each pair of wire would be connected to each half of the switch. And if there is a "bridge" or jumper between the two it should be broken.
OK, it sounds like the electrician might have goofed.I think this is called a 'stack switch' There is one ground wire, and 3 black wires. The ground is grounded, two of the black wires go to black terminals, and one of the black wires goes to one of the two copper terminals.So, it looks like I have legs, but am maybe also missing one wire?