Hi, There are several ways to wire a light and switch and all are them are acceptable to code--well almost all of them.
The code states that the black or hot is the one to break with the switch. The code says that all connection need be in a box. Code says that each wire should have its own hole in a stud or joist. It is not code to run two wires through the same hole. This last code is what I hate. It means drilling lots more holes. The reason for the code though makes sense. If a wire shorts out, you want it to do so in a box. If a wire over heats you do not wanting it to over heat another wire, right next to it. As to the specifics of your suggestions, I have seen and down them all. Personally I find running the power to the box at the light, and a different wire from there to the switch is the easiest. I have seen and sometimes have run the power to the switch box, and then from the switch box up to the light run a 3 wire. The black remains unbroken power. The white remains the ground. The red becomes the switched power line. And now to the practical. I do a lot of remodeling and wiring. Oh, and I am totally blind. When the wires are all in place, I have a sight person identify the color of the wire at each box. The white I leave streight. The black I bend with a 90 degree bend. Red I roll into a circle. With the sighted person, we can rip through a room real quick. I then go back when they are gone and put in the actual switches and outlets. Dave Working together, sharing the light of salvation seen through the cross of Jesus Rev. Dave Andrus, Director Lutheran Blind Mission 888 215 2455 HTTP://WWW.BLINDMISSION.ORG -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dan Rossi Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 1:19 PM To: Blind Handyman List Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Wiring a switch. Not that I have any immediate plans of rewiring, but this question popped in my head. I think I've seen a comment about this here before. If you are wiring a switch to a light fixture, do you: #1: Run a set of wires from the power source to the switch, and a set of wires from the switch to the light fixture. In this case, connecting both blacks to the switch terminals, and tieing the two whites together? Do you just stuff the white splice in the box with the switch? #2: Run a set of wires from the power source to the light fixture, and a set of wires from the switch to the light fixture. In this case, The white from the power would connect to the white on the light, and the two switch wires would be connected between the black power, and black light wires. It technically wouldn't matter which orientation you connected the switch wires, but is there a standard? I mean, black power, to black switch, then white switch to black fixture. #3: I assume this one is definitely wrong, but similar to #2. Run power directly to the light fixture, then just interrupt the black wire at some point with the switch wires. I believe choice #1 is the correct option, but is choice #2 against code? Choice #3 seems to be the most efficient use of wire, no parallel runs of wire, but would make it a pain in the ass to ever trace an issue since you wouldn't necessarily know where the switch spliced into the power line. Just a thought for the day. -- Blue skies. Dan Rossi Carnegie Mellon University. E-Mail: [email protected] <mailto:dr25%40andrew.cmu.edu> Tel: (412) 268-9081
