mobile home light switches

mjadec01

I own a 1990 mobile home and want to replace the light switches. I have had no problems until I reached the bathroom. It has a self contained switch with six wires laying inside of it. Is there a way to switch this to a standard switch? There are two switces, one controls the light and the other controls the fan. Each switch has six wires going into it.
Thanks for any help you can give me before I end up calling an electrician.

300zx

You can get a 2 gang cutin box from hd or lowes just mark your wires so you know what goes where.You say each switch has 6 wires going to it! ???? Here is a pic of cutin box you will also need 2 new switches.

mjadec01

Thanks.. Yes it has three white, three black and three copper wires going into the switch.. It is one of those switches that the wires just lay in it. They fit between metal v shaped slots. I want to put standard switches in,, the ones that you put wires around the screws.. Too many wires.. not enough screws,,

300zx

Make sure you mark the HOT (Black) wires going to light and fan. Afer you get the box and wires in the box -The white wires ( Neutral wires) wirenut together and tuck into box.The ground wires twist together and leave a pigtail to ground both switches.The wires you marked as light put on one switch. The wire going to fan put on the other switch.That leaves the Hot(feed) You can (pigtail twist)two blacks onto the feed wire so you have a wire to each switch for the feed and put on the switches You are done. Good Luck -MAKE SURE POWER IS OFF

JonboyAU

The cut-in box is an industry term- you will find the box described above listed as an old-work box at your local home center. It will have wings that hold it in place inside the wall the same as the switches you are replacing. Any particular reason to replace the switches? Are you changing out all the switches in your home?

mjadec01

I am changing the switches in my bathroom because they stopped working. I am changing most of the switches because they are flickering and the house is 15yrs old.

I have another question.. What If I dont know which wires go to the light or the fan?? I bought switches online through a mobile home manufacturer and was going to replace them. They were the switches where the wires just lay in the box. Well it was more work than I expected and when I was done the light did not work!! I dont know if I did not put the right wires in the box in the right order.( there are six wires that go into in switch 2 white 2 black and 2 ground) So I decided to just put standard switches in but now I dont know which wires go to what.... I hope I can get this done without calling an electrician...

300zx

Do you have any kind of Voltage Tester? You only have 3 sets of wires-One will be power from panel -One going to lights -One going to fan.How are the wires running are two going up and one going down?

JonboyAU

Did the fan work and not the light? Typically, there would have been a short length of wire connected between the bottom of the two switches that "jumped" the incoming power from one switch to the other. The switches you are replacing used a technology called insulation displacement and at the factory where your home was built the electrical installer used a special tool to push the wire between the terminals. These type of switches are somewhat difficult to replace without that tool but it can be done.

As 300zx said, it would be typical that if you looked in the wall where your wires are you would find two lengths of romex headed up and one down. Each romex is a white jacketed wire containing one each of the white, black and bare ground wires you are describing. The two headed up toward the ceiling are going to the light and the fan and the one down is the incoming power.

You don't sound very comfortable working with this and it might be worth the expense of hiring an electrician. If you replace these switches with the conventional type switches (with screws) and use a box you will have to enlarge the hole in the wall as the size of the self-contained switches you currently have is smaller than the size hole you will need for the box. I am glad to answer your questions but I don't want to take you out of your comfort zone.

mjadec01

Jonboy you are right I am not comfortable changing these myself and I guess I am going to have to call someone. I just hate to have to pay someone 100 dollars or more just to change my light switches!!

I really appreciate all your help and 300zx!!

I am going to call an electrician this week..

Thanks again!!

RegeSullivan

You might ry posting a picture of what you have. Maybe someone here will see it as a simple problem and help you with a better description of how to fix it?

300zx

I know how that goes but you only have 3 wires you can buy a volage tester for 15.00 not a contact stick then you own it But Like You Said I am not comfortable so best if you call an electrician see if you can get like 3 different est free ones price could vary

mjadec01

Thanks 300zx!! A co-worker knows someone who is a contractor and says they can fix it for ALOT less than an electrician would.. So I am gonna call today and hopefully have my switches working by next week!! I have two teenage kids and they say its getting on their nerves!! LMAO

Thanks again!!

300zx

It should be a real easy fix 20 min tops for a pro Sorry about the other thread but you asked the exact thing.I thought we had it worked out but if you need help ask us someone will reply.Dont let them charge you to much easy job as long as the whole is not bigger then the cut-in box Good Luck and sorry agian mjadec01

mjadec01

It is all good... I appreciate all your help. I know if I need any help with any other DIY jobs I will come here..

Thanks

300zx

Good to hear you got it fixed. Congratulations!!!!