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Adding a light fixture from an existing switch ? gmasucci 05-08-2007
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Posted by on May 8, 2007, 11:08 pm
I have created a rental apt in my basement and I currently have a 3
way light switch that turns on the light at the top of the stairs and/
or from the basement doorway. I have turned the top of the stairs into
a closet and sealed it from the bottom rental unit completely. The new
closet is deep and very dark and so I wanted to add a small 60 watt
light to it, but, the only power or electrical in the vicinity is this
threeway switch (with red, black, white and ground wire, but the
switch goes between either the white and black to keep the lights on
downstairs or the red and white wires. Can I tap into this to create a
new circuit for my light. The current load on this breaker is pretty
minimal and the light will be used very infrequently. Thoughts and
suggestions would be appreciated !


Posted by Jeff Wisnia on May 8, 2007, 11:43 pm
gmasucci@gmail.com wrote:
> I have created a rental apt in my basement and I currently have a 3
> way light switch that turns on the light at the top of the stairs and/
> or from the basement doorway. I have turned the top of the stairs into
> a closet and sealed it from the bottom rental unit completely. The new
> closet is deep and very dark and so I wanted to add a small 60 watt
> light to it, but, the only power or electrical in the vicinity is this
> threeway switch (with red, black, white and ground wire, but the
> switch goes between either the white and black to keep the lights on
> downstairs or the red and white wires. Can I tap into this to create a
> new circuit for my light. The current load on this breaker is pretty
> minimal and the light will be used very infrequently. Thoughts and
> suggestions would be appreciated !
>

In a word, no. (If you need to keep using that switch to control the
existing light.)

If your alterations to the structure mean you no no longer need to
control the light with that switch then there is a possibility that you
could use two of the three entering that box to bring power to the
closet light, by reconnecting them at their other ends.

But, that depends on just how the existing three way switch circuit is
wired.

Let us know if you still need to control the stair light from that
switch location and you'll likely get more suggestions.

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.98*1014 fathoms per fortnight.

Posted by DIYer on May 9, 2007, 10:28 am
> gmasu...@gmail.com wrote:
> > I have created a rental apt in my basement and I currently have a 3
> > way light switch that turns on the light at the top of the stairs and/
> > or from the basement doorway. I have turned the top of the stairs into
> > a closet and sealed it from the bottom rental unit completely. The new
> > closet is deep and very dark and so I wanted to add a small 60 watt
> > light to it, but, the only power or electrical in the vicinity is this
> > threeway switch (with red, black, white and ground wire, but the
> > switch goes between either the white and black to keep the lights on
> > downstairs or the red and white wires. Can I tap into this to create a
> > new circuit for my light. The current load on this breaker is pretty
> > minimal and the light will be used very infrequently. Thoughts and
> > suggestions would be appreciated !
>
> In a word, no. (If you need to keep using that switch to control the
> existing light.)
>
> If your alterations to the structure mean you no no longer need to
> control the light with that switch then there is a possibility that you
> could use two of the three entering that box to bring power to the
> closet light, by reconnecting them at their other ends.
>
> But, that depends on just how the existing three way switch circuit is
> wired.
>
> Let us know if you still need to control the stair light from that
> switch location and you'll likely get more suggestions.
>
> Jeff
> --
> Jeffry Wisnia
> (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
> The speed of light is 1.98*1014 fathoms per fortnight.

I no longer want to control the light that is downstairs with the
upper switch as this is now part of a separate apt and I don't want to
be turning their lights on and off. I have a light fixture for the
"new" closet that has a pull chain, but, I figured I would put a
switch on it at this location to make it easier to use. The problem is
that I am not sure which (if any) wires here are neutral because when
I rewired this to check to make sure the light downstairs would stay
on. I wired the switch upstairs by having the black on one side of a
single pole switch and the white on the other and the light downstairs
was on when the switch was in the on position. The red wire btw was
still hot. I hope this helps !


Posted by RBM on May 9, 2007, 6:53 am
You can do it, but not the way the wires are connected presently. That 3
wire cable probably goes to the other three way switch. Open the other
switch box, and see if you have a feed in that box. (Hot and Neutral) If you
do, disconnect the three wires going to the upstairs switch in the box and
reconnect just a hot, neutral, and ground going to the upstairs, and replace
the downstairs switch with a single pole



>I have created a rental apt in my basement and I currently have a 3
> way light switch that turns on the light at the top of the stairs and/
> or from the basement doorway. I have turned the top of the stairs into
> a closet and sealed it from the bottom rental unit completely. The new
> closet is deep and very dark and so I wanted to add a small 60 watt
> light to it, but, the only power or electrical in the vicinity is this
> threeway switch (with red, black, white and ground wire, but the
> switch goes between either the white and black to keep the lights on
> downstairs or the red and white wires. Can I tap into this to create a
> new circuit for my light. The current load on this breaker is pretty
> minimal and the light will be used very infrequently. Thoughts and
> suggestions would be appreciated !
>



Posted by Jeff Wisnia on May 9, 2007, 1:19 pm
RBM wrote:
> You can do it, but not the way the wires are connected presently. That 3
> wire cable probably goes to the other three way switch. Open the other
> switch box, and see if you have a feed in that box. (Hot and Neutral) If you
> do, disconnect the three wires going to the upstairs switch in the box and
> reconnect just a hot, neutral, and ground going to the upstairs, and replace
> the downstairs switch with a single pole


You took my words right off of my fingertips. <G>

Jeff


--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.


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