Wiring a New Light Switch but Problems

nlsnrn · 08-31-2011, 12:22 PM

Hi,

I decided to attempt to install a new light switch into my bathroom since the old one would not stay on all the time and you would have to hold the switch up with force to make it stay on...so, I purchased a new light switch identical to the old one and installed the new switch exactly how I uninstalled the old switch. When I went to turn the main power back on to the house the outlets and light switch in the bedroom and bathroom would not come on and there is no power going to them. I located the GFCI that I believe is the circuit for my bedroom and bathroom but, when I try to reset the GFCI it wont reset? When removing the old light switch it seemed to be wired differently then what I have been reading online and it text on how to wire a switch. I will post pictures of how it was wired. Not sure what to do??

a7ecorsair · 08-31-2011, 12:41 PM

Are there just two screws on both the old and new switch?
Did you remove any wire nuts?

nlsnrn · 08-31-2011, 01:06 PM

yes there are two screws on one side and one green screw on the other side. When I removed the old switch there was a black wiring going into a small hole on top and then a black wire with the insulation cut off in the middle and wrapped around the bottom screw and then a ground wiring wrapped around the ground screw. I have a picture attached to this message to show what I mean. No I did not remove any screws...

CheapCharlie · 08-31-2011, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nlsnrn

yes there are two screws on one side and one green screw on the other side. When I removed the old switch there was a black wiring going into a small hole on top and then a black wire with the insulation cut off in the middle and wrapped around the bottom screw and then a ground wiring wrapped around the ground screw. I have a picture attached to this message to show what I mean. No I did not remove any screws...

Not sure why there is a hot wire not connected to anything. Besides that, if what you describe is how it is connected, here's what I'd do:
- Cut that wire that the insulation is removed halfway in the middle of the bare copper part.
- Attach a pigtail (short wire) to those 2 wires (3 wires under wirenut)
- Terminate the pigtail on the switch.
- Terminate the other wire and ground on the switch.
- Cap off the other unused hot wire.
- Put everything back together and turn power on and test.
- Have a beer.

HouseHelper · 08-31-2011, 02:34 PM

How did you determine the lone wire is hot? It was probably inserted into a hole on back of the switch and came loose when you pulled it out. It is most likely the feed to the rest of the circuit (the part not working now). The wire that was wrapped around the screw should be the constant hot wire.

CheapCharlie · 08-31-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HouseHelper

How did you determine the lone wire is hot? It was probably inserted into a hole on back of the switch and came loose when you pulled it out. It is most likely the feed to the rest of the circuit (the part not working now). The wire that was wrapped around the screw should be the constant hot wire.

Yeah, good point. It probably came loose from the back. A good reason to never use the push in terminals. If this is the case, add that wire into where I said to cut your power wire (now 4 wires under the wire nut).
Let us know how it works out.

rjniles · 08-31-2011, 03:33 PM

Connect the bare wire to the green ground screw, connect the wire stripped in the middle to one of the switch terminal (either terminal), connect the other 2 black wires together with a pigtail and wire nut and connect to the other switch terminal.

CheapCharlie · 08-31-2011, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjniles

Connect the bare wire to the green ground screw, connect the wire stripped in the middle to one of the switch terminal (either terminal), connect the other 2 black wires together with a pigtail and wire nut and connect to the other switch terminal.

The wire he indicated as not being used may be the through feed to the bedroom. You don't want that on the switched part of the switch. If it is the feed for the bedroom, you want it in with the constant hot.

rjniles · 08-31-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CheapCharlie

The wire he indicated as not being used may be the through feed to the bedroom. You don't want that on the switched part of the switch. If it is the feed for the bedroom, you want it in with the constant hot.

He said that that wire (the unattached one) was hot, I would think the other single black wire (the one he cut off the switch) is the downstream feed.