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Does the read and white wire go together on a light switch?

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Does the read and white wire go together on a light switch? jmDesktop 01-13-2007
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Posted by jmDesktop on January 13, 2007, 11:41 pm


I am trying to replace my light switch. It had an older switch and had
three screws on it. On these it had black, red, and white attached.
My new one had three screws, but one of the screws was for ground. I
didn't have any place to put the white wire.

On the top screw I put red and white and on the bottom screw I put
black.

It works, but is this correct?

Thank you.


Posted by Terry on January 13, 2007, 11:58 pm


wrote:

>I am trying to replace my light switch. It had an older switch and had
>three screws on it. On these it had black, red, and white attached.
>My new one had three screws, but one of the screws was for ground. I
>didn't have any place to put the white wire.
>
>On the top screw I put red and white and on the bottom screw I put
>black.
>
>It works, but is this correct?
>
>Thank you.


It should work just fine until you find the other mate to that switch.
I think you will find that the other switch now does nothing.

3 way switches are to control lights from 2 spots. You now have a
single pole switch. If you are ok with just using that switch then it
is fine.


Posted by Steve Barker on January 14, 2007, 12:15 am


Yeah, until someone throws that other switch. Then he'll be wondering why
the light quit. Why not just use the proper switch?

--
Steve Barker



> wrote:
>
>>I am trying to replace my light switch. It had an older switch and had
>>three screws on it. On these it had black, red, and white attached.
>>My new one had three screws, but one of the screws was for ground. I
>>didn't have any place to put the white wire.
>>
>>On the top screw I put red and white and on the bottom screw I put
>>black.
>>
>>It works, but is this correct?
>>
>>Thank you.
>
>
> It should work just fine until you find the other mate to that switch.
> I think you will find that the other switch now does nothing.
>
> 3 way switches are to control lights from 2 spots. You now have a
> single pole switch. If you are ok with just using that switch then it
> is fine.
>



Posted by jmDesktop on January 14, 2007, 12:36 am


Thanks everyone.

If I knew it was not the proper switch I would not have used it. It's
wired up and working at the moment with no fire, but now I am paranoid.


Steve Barker wrote:
> Yeah, until someone throws that other switch. Then he'll be wondering why
> the light quit. Why not just use the proper switch?
>
> --
> Steve Barker
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> >
> >>I am trying to replace my light switch. It had an older switch and had
> >>three screws on it. On these it had black, red, and white attached.
> >>My new one had three screws, but one of the screws was for ground. I
> >>didn't have any place to put the white wire.
> >>
> >>On the top screw I put red and white and on the bottom screw I put
> >>black.
> >>
> >>It works, but is this correct?
> >>
> >>Thank you.
> >
> >
> > It should work just fine until you find the other mate to that switch.
> > I think you will find that the other switch now does nothing.
> >
> > 3 way switches are to control lights from 2 spots. You now have a
> > single pole switch. If you are ok with just using that switch then it
> > is fine.
> >


Posted by Doug Miller on January 14, 2007, 9:09 am



>If I knew it was not the proper switch I would not have used it. It's
>wired up and working at the moment with no fire, but now I am paranoid

All you had to do was *look* at it to tell it's not the proper switch. Now go
take your old switch in to a hardware store and get one *exactly* like it,
then wire that one same as the old one was..

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

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