Household Electrical Switch Q:
#3081020
09/26/22 11:34 PM
09/26/22 11:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,390 Highland, MI.
Sunroofcuda
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,390
Highland, MI.
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Question on hooking up a new 3-way wall toggle switch for bathroom: (the toggle on the "bad" switch is messed-up - this switch controls the heat lamp in our main level bathroom. I had a good used switch in my stash)
There's a ground screw - no question hooking that one up.
The "new" switch has a black & a brass connection screw on one side of the switch. There's a 3rd connection screw (brass) at the top of the switch - even with the brass one on the opposite side. The connection to the original switch has a ground wire & two black wires - both black wires were hooked up top/bottom on the same side of the defective switch. (this is next to another switch which controls the regular lights in the bathroom). *The original switch was a lighted switch with a ground, & only two hookups.
So I hooked the new one up with ground, then both black wires on the same side of the switch top/bottom configuration. **If I had attached both black wires at the two top connections (opposite sides of the switch), does it make a difference? It works fine. Would all 3 hookups on the new switch work or make any difference?
No Man With A Good Car Needs To Be Justified
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Re: Household Electrical Switch Q:
[Re: Sunroofcuda]
#3081084
09/27/22 10:54 AM
09/27/22 10:54 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,193 Omaha Ne
TJP
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,193
Omaha Ne
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If I had attached both black wires at the two top connections (opposite sides of the switch), does it make a difference?Yes as one side is normally brass There are many different configurations of 115V switches for different applications It's going to depend on how the house was wired and if there is anything else that gets power when that switch is on, silver terminals are for Neutral wires, Brass for the hot side, and green for ground. The silver/ brass connections are typically open top to bottom when the switch is off and conversely closed when the switch is on. Side to side should be isolated from each other ( IE: silver from brass) regardless of switch position. Google may help
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Re: Household Electrical Switch Q:
[Re: moparx]
#3082278
10/01/22 03:40 PM
10/01/22 03:40 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007 Bend,OR USA
Cab_Burge
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
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connect the wires until you see lightning bolts before your eyes, then wire it up opposite the way you had it. Me thinks you have never been electrocuted by any household voltage, correct? It is not something I would recommend to anyone I worked for 3 different telephone companies in my 33-year career, I learned about induce A.C. current the hard way when trying to hook up a new telephone service on a pair of open wire that was put up for that job, is was not hooked into the telephone network yet. I was making up the jumper and had attached it to the two open uninsulated wires and was trying to hook the jumper into the telephone terminal on a pole, I got shocked into my right thumb from the jumper without touching the conductors when the induced voltage (550 Volts A.C. from the uninsulated primary electrical service mounted on the same pole about 8 ft.higher than me) jumped from the wire into my thumb and on into the ground plate on the bottom of terminal I immediately reacted by jerking my hand back and ended up tossing the needle nose pliers I was holding to wrap the jumper wire around in the terminal about 50 ft. away from the pole. That really hurt, I was injured once by a piece of a 22 bullet ricocheting into my right calf when shooting at an old junk car out in the desert several years before that incident on the pole, I thought I had been shot again but there was no bleeding Be very careful when working on or around any electrical devises or wire.
Last edited by Cab_Burge; 10/01/22 03:45 PM.
Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
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Re: Household Electrical Switch Q:
[Re: Cab_Burge]
#3082368
10/01/22 09:47 PM
10/01/22 09:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,193 Omaha Ne
TJP
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,193
Omaha Ne
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connect the wires until you see lightning bolts before your eyes, then wire it up opposite the way you had it. Me thinks you have never been electrocuted by any household voltage, correct? It is not something I would recommend to anyone I worked for 3 different telephone companies in my 33-year career, I learned about induce A.C. current the hard way when trying to hook up a new telephone service on a pair of open wire that was put up for that job, is was not hooked into the telephone network yet. I was making up the jumper and had attached it to the two open uninsulated wires and was trying to hook the jumper into the telephone terminal on a pole, I got shocked into my right thumb from the jumper without touching the conductors when the induced voltage (550 Volts A.C. from the uninsulated primary electrical service mounted on the same pole about 8 ft.higher than me) jumped from the wire into my thumb and on into the ground plate on the bottom of terminal I immediately reacted by jerking my hand back and ended up tossing the needle nose pliers I was holding to wrap the jumper wire around in the terminal about 50 ft. away from the pole. That really hurt, I was injured once by a piece of a 22 bullet ricocheting into my right calf when shooting at an old junk car out in the desert several years before that incident on the pole, I thought I had been shot again but there was no bleeding Be very careful when working on or around any electrical devises or wire. I think he was joking Cab However your point is valid in that if one is no 100% confident in what they are doing with electrical components ( especially AC) , get someone who is or do some googling before attempting repairs. The consequences can be lethal or burn the house to the ground. On the fire part, for unknown reasons, they normally start when no ones around to stop them
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Re: Household Electrical Switch Q:
[Re: 70Duster]
#3082380
10/01/22 10:36 PM
10/01/22 10:36 PM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,744 Phila
PhillyRag
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,744
Phila
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The key to replacing a 3 way switch is always put the wire from the black screw from the old switch to the black screw on the new switch. Obviously the ground (usually green or uninsulated) goes to the ground connection. On the remaining two brass screw connections, it doesn't matter which way you put the wires on the two remaining brass connections regardless of wire color. Location of the screws on the switch varies by manufacturer and shouldn't be used as a guide for hooking up the wires. 3-way switches are simple: 1 power line In, 2 power lines out (power depends on toggle position). Opposite is true for the 3w switch going to the light/load/etc. 4-way can be placed between 2 3-ways. Just do a simple pencil sketch, it'll be clear. May seem complicated, but really simple. But if one isn't comfortable around ANY electricity, then stay away.
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Re: Household Electrical Switch Q:
[Re: TJP]
#3083248
10/04/22 01:59 PM
10/04/22 01:59 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,237 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,237
north of coder
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connect the wires until you see lightning bolts before your eyes, then wire it up opposite the way you had it. Me thinks you have never been electrocuted by any household voltage, correct? It is not something I would recommend to anyone I worked for 3 different telephone companies in my 33-year career, I learned about induce A.C. current the hard way when trying to hook up a new telephone service on a pair of open wire that was put up for that job, is was not hooked into the telephone network yet. I was making up the jumper and had attached it to the two open uninsulated wires and was trying to hook the jumper into the telephone terminal on a pole, I got shocked into my right thumb from the jumper without touching the conductors when the induced voltage (550 Volts A.C. from the uninsulated primary electrical service mounted on the same pole about 8 ft.higher than me) jumped from the wire into my thumb and on into the ground plate on the bottom of terminal I immediately reacted by jerking my hand back and ended up tossing the needle nose pliers I was holding to wrap the jumper wire around in the terminal about 50 ft. away from the pole. That really hurt, I was injured once by a piece of a 22 bullet ricocheting into my right calf when shooting at an old junk car out in the desert several years before that incident on the pole, I thought I had been shot again but there was no bleeding Be very careful when working on or around any electrical devises or wire. I think he was joking Cab However your point is valid in that if one is no 100% confident in what they are doing with electrical components ( especially AC) , get someone who is or do some googling before attempting repairs. The consequences can be lethal or burn the house to the ground. On the fire part, for unknown reasons, they normally start when no ones around to stop them i have been bit HARD by regular 110v Cab. it's NOT fun ! when i was working, i did minor repairs on 440v cnc machinery, as there were no maintenance men on the vampire shift. always, and i mean ALWAYS, the very first thing i did was "lock out-tag out" that piece of equipment. i didn't want my underlings to get any laffs if i "lit up like a christmas tree"........ besides that, my boss would give me he!! in the morning for "smoking" in the building. that would be against company policy !
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Re: Household Electrical Switch Q:
[Re: moparx]
#3083315
10/04/22 05:47 PM
10/04/22 05:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,576 Shopping @ HoBo Fright
340SIX
Doc Flappergas's Evil Twin
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Doc Flappergas's Evil Twin
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,576
Shopping @ HoBo Fright
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connect the wires until you see lightning bolts before your eyes, then wire it up opposite the way you had it. Should he also tighten the screws till they strip or brake off and back off one One Full Turn and 1/4? that's only on 110v circuits. on 440v circuits, it's 2 1/8 turns backed off after they strip or break. Since I have time off and am doing a rentavation. While at it I am going to do a rewire, going all 220 or 221 whatever it takes. Michael Keaton is coming over to lend a hand.
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