Home Page link

How to connect a Double Pole Switch?

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Page 4 of 6       < 1 2 3 > last >> Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
How to connect a Double Pole Switch? Homer 10-09-2007
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by Doug Miller on October 10, 2007, 8:57 am
>Another possibility is that the switch *should* be a 4 way switch, but
>someone replaced it in the past with the wrong switch (double pole).
>
>The key to this would be how the light switches operated *before* the switch
>was removed from the wall.
>
>A proper 3-way, 4-way, 3-way operating switch setup would allow any switch
>to turn on/off the light no matter what position any other switch was
>flipped to at a given time.

True -- but the OP said there's only *one* other switch controlling the
lights.

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

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

Posted by Homer on October 10, 2007, 9:08 am
On Oct 10, 8:57 am, spamb...@milmac.com (Doug Miller) wrote:
> >Another possibility is that the switch *should* be a 4 way switch, but
> >someone replaced it in the past with the wrong switch (double pole).
>
> >The key to this would be how the light switches operated *before* the switch
> >was removed from the wall.
>
> >A proper 3-way, 4-way, 3-way operating switch setup would allow any switch
> >to turn on/off the light no matter what position any other switch was
> >flipped to at a given time.
>
> True -- but the OP said there's only *one* other switch controlling the
> lights.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
>
> It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Actually I bought this house recently and have replaced ALL old
switches with new ones already. This one was the last one and didn't
expect to get into complication.

Homer


Posted by Doug Miller on October 10, 2007, 10:31 am
>On Oct 10, 8:57 am, spamb...@milmac.com (Doug Miller) wrote:
>> >Another possibility is that the switch *should* be a 4 way switch, but
>> >someone replaced it in the past with the wrong switch (double pole).
>>
>> >The key to this would be how the light switches operated *before* the switch
>> >was removed from the wall.
>>
>> >A proper 3-way, 4-way, 3-way operating switch setup would allow any switch
>> >to turn on/off the light no matter what position any other switch was
>> >flipped to at a given time.
>>
>> True -- but the OP said there's only *one* other switch controlling the
>> lights.
>>
>Actually I bought this house recently and have replaced ALL old
>switches with new ones already. This one was the last one and didn't
>expect to get into complication.

OK, fine -- but there is only one other switch controlling these lights,
right? And there was only one other switch before you started replacing
switches, too, right? (You didn't replace a switch, and suddenly wind up with
only two switches controlling these lights when there were three before,
right?)

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

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

Posted by Bill on October 10, 2007, 12:04 pm
>>Another possibility is that the switch *should* be a 4 way switch, but
>>someone replaced it in the past with the wrong switch (double pole).
>>
>>The key to this would be how the light switches operated *before* the
>>switch
>>was removed from the wall.
>>
>>A proper 3-way, 4-way, 3-way operating switch setup would allow any switch
>>to turn on/off the light no matter what position any other switch was
>>flipped to at a given time.
>
> True -- but the OP said there's only *one* other switch controlling the
> lights.
>

Keep in mind this is a house and it could have been remodeled in the past.
So at one time there may have been three switches controlling the light.

Or if it had an builder like myself, I might have had an eye for the future
and may have designed things for a future addition which would at that time
include a third switch.

(Anything is possible in a house and especially if an unqualified handyman
has been at work!)

Anyway if it is a double pole switch and it is 240 V, then you would
probably have one romex being the "in" and the other romex being the "out".
One wire would be going to the main panel, the other to the lights.

Or it if is 120 V and for some reason the hot and neutral are both switched,
then again you would probably have one romex being the "in" and the other
romex being the "out". One wire would be going to the main panel, the other
to the lights.

Or if it is a 4 way wiring design and should have been a 4 way switch, then
you would also probably have one romex being the "in" and the other romex
being the "out". One wire would be going to one switch, the other wire to
the the other switch.

If it is one double pole switch controlling two separate lights on two
separate circuits (unlikely and I don't know why anyone would do this?),
then one wire might switch the hot for one light and the other wire might
switch the hot for the other light.

If it is knob and tube, then no telling unless you trace out the wires or do
a bit of experimenting. Leave the experimenting to an electrician.

P.S. If you get an electrician and find out the answer to this riddle,
please let us know what he says...



Posted by Doug Miller on October 9, 2007, 11:02 am
>I am changing my light switches around the house from old fashion
>rusty ones to new ones.
>Yesterday I took off one of those switches and I realized that is a
>Double-Pole Switch

There are several types of double-pole switches. How many screw terminals does
yours have?

>and what is does is basically turning two lights in
>my hallway on and off. I went to home depot to get a new switch but
>they didn't have it so I decided to put the old one back but I can't
>remember how those wires were connected.

You've probably figured this out already... but next time, sketch out which
wires are connected to which poles on the switch before you disconnect
anything.

>I have two pairs of wires (black and white). On one pair (Pair A) my
>tester shows they are both Hot (both black and white wires).
>When I check it with Voltmeter, only Black one shows Hot (it's 110v).

Voltmeter is probably correct.

>The other one (white) doesn't show anything.

As expected.

>The other pair (Pair B) doesn't show anything.
>
>Also there is another Switch for switching the same light as the end
>of hallway (Three-way Switch).

Is there only *one* other switch (two total) controlling the same light?

> I believe the other pair of wires (Pair
>B) is connected to Three-Way switch.

Probably -- does flipping that switch change the voltage readings on either
wire in Pair B?
>
>If I connect a light ball

Do you mean light *bulb* ??

> to Hot Wire from Pair A and one from the
>Pair B, light ball goes On.

What happens when you flip the 3-way switch? Does it go off?

> If I switch the three-way switch and do
>the same thing with another wire from Pair B, light ball goes On too.

What happens when you flip the 3-way switch again? Does it go off?

>Something like this?:
>
> H
> o o-------------o
> \o-----N
> o o-------------o
> A B

It better *not* be -- switches should *never* be placed on the neutral side of
a circuit.
>
>
>If I check voltage of Hot wire from Pair A with another Hot from
>another switch box

Why are you doing that? What do you expect to measure?

> I will get 220v. I have no idea why I should have
>two phases inside my house (they should be all 110v).

That is incorrect -- nearly all North American homes have 240V service. There
are two separate hot legs, each at a potential of 120V with respect to
neutral, and at a potential of 240V with respect to each other. You're
measuring from one hot leg to the other, and seeing exactly what you should
see when you do that -- but why are you doing that?

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

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

Page 4 of 6       < 1 2 3 > last >>
Similar ThreadsPosted
Double Pole switch??? March 25, 2007, 2:28 pm
single or double pole switch for 240V baseboard heater September 10, 2006, 3:40 am
Light switch 3 pole and 2 pole February 10, 2006, 5:07 pm
Double Pole Circuit Breakers June 12, 2006, 7:05 am
Double pole circuit breaker January 16, 2007, 11:22 pm
Single pole illuminated switch? November 6, 2007, 11:13 pm
How do I combine lights on single pole switch with lights on 3-way switch? April 24, 2008, 12:54 pm
Electrical : 3 way --> Single Pole (Light Switch) November 23, 2005, 4:39 am
Pole Lamp Dimmer/Switch Module January 8, 2007, 12:57 pm
Simple DYI ? on single pole light switch July 12, 2007, 1:32 pm

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap