A 3 wire nm connects the traveler terminals of the first and second 3 way switch together. Always turn off the power at the breaker or fuse box before you work on electricity.
Single Pole Switch Diagram 2
2 wire to 3 wire light fixture. I am attaching a 3 wire fixture to a 2 wire ceiling box plus one bare ground wire. Disconnect the old wires. Once youre done youll be able to control a light from two switches. Once the light fixture is free you will be able to see the wires that attach to the fixture with some type of wire connector. Follow standard color codes that identify each wires function in a circuit. In the 1st diagram below a 2 wire nm cable supplies power from the panel to the first switch box.
Map out your wires. How to attach a two wire lighting fixture to a three wire supply step 1. A red wire is an alternate hot often coming from a light switch. Open the package of wire nuts and installation screws that came with the new light fixture. However its likely that the light fixture was mounted in the middle of a stud cavity which makes mounting a box that can support the weight of the fixture more difficult. Remove the screws holding the metal.
Pull the wires apart to release the fixture and set it aside. The wiring is more complicated than a traditional single pole switch but well explain how to make the connections. Knowing which wire does what and goes where is imperative not only in the correct configuration of an electrical system but also for your familys safety. All home electrical wires made in the us. Turn off the circuit breaker at the main panel that supplies power to the three wire cable intended for the. Disconnect the wires.
Test the wires to verify that no power exists using a voltage tester. Heres how to connect a 2 wire light fixture to a 3 wire ceiling box. Wiring a 3 way light switch is certainly more. The black line wire connects to the common terminal of the first 3 way switch. Place one probe of the tester on the. What do i do.
Untwist the connectors holding the two black wires and the two white wires together. The black wire is a hot wire coming from the box. Traveler wires are interchangeable on each switch. The connector could be crimps push in connectors or twist on connectors. The white wire is common going back to the electrical box. Unfasten the current light fixture from its mount.
This keeps you safe from potential electric shock. This story features diagrams that show how to wire 3 way switches. The light fixture does not work unless i connect one of the 3 wires to the bare wire. Several types of remodeling boxes can do the job but we recommend a 2 x 3 inmetal remodeling box thats 2 12 in deep for fixtures up to about 6 lbs. While the light only has a black and white electrical wire some manufacturers include an addition wire. First map the wires coming out of your electrical box.
This will usually require a screwdriver. A bare or green wire. The trick to.