Rewire an Electrical Switch box with No Neutral
Вставка
- Опубліковано 29 жов 2016
- Click this link to show how I added the extra wire into the wall: • Running Wires in Walls
In this video, I rewire an electrical switch box that doesn't have a neutral wire present. The rewired configuration gains a neutral wire that enables you to use the new switch to control lighting.
Work with electric at your own risk! If any of this seems foreign or uncomfortable to you, hire an electrician. Do not take the risk. My video's are for entertainment purposes only and are not meant to be "how to's" if you are unfamiliar with the topics.
Purchase items I used in this video:
Fluke Voltage Detector: amzn.to/2pb45SJ
Insulated Screwdriver Set: amzn.to/2pO8b71
Klein Wire Cutters: amzn.to/2p4mKEx
My FAVORITE Screwdriver: amzn.to/3sWWmfD - Навчання та стиль
ALL: I've posted another video on my channel showing how I installed the extra wire in the wall that others have asked about below. Check it out here: ua-cam.com/video/HME5amrYG5A/v-deo.html
Excellent! Clear, concise, no half hour story of your life.
Beautiful video all the way through. I greatly appreciate the time you took to make this. I don't know how many days of my life you've given back to me by making this video
Just what I was looking for. Been meaning to install some ceiling lighting in my kids' bedrooms, and came across this exact issue and wiring scheme. Thanks for your clear explanation and instructions.
This is one of the best educational videos on how to find a neutral wire and basic wiring skills
Finally, a video that explained what I was doing wrong and how to fix it. I was trying to install a light fixture off of an existing switch, similar to your video, however, I had no idea that the switch had no neutral wire. After viewing your video, I went back into my garage and looked at the light that the switch currently feeds. Sure enough, it was an electrical outlet and the current light was nothing more than a light fixture plugged into the outlet. With this new knowledge and with some of the comments below, I'll take this information and try again. Thank you for the well done video.
Gabriel Sorry for the delayed response but thanks for the comment. Hope the job went well!
Dude! Finally a great video on how to modify a switch loop. Thank you so much. I need to do this with three of the rooms in my 60's rancher that had no center ceiling lights and have been looking for a good instructional all week. You are the best!!
Best I've seen, and I've watched a bunch of these vids. Explanation was fast, succinct, informative and fascinating. There is a name for people like you: Teacher.
Thank you buddy, appreciate it.
Very well explained and visually documented. I have been looking for this exact information to allow me to install smart light switches that require a neutral.
I have looked at many videos and other websites for this information and nothing was as clear as this.
Thank you
Hi Allen, I am try to install a smart switch that requires a neutral as well. My current switch only have one black and white attached. So I want to know if you have any success installing the smart switch?
Thanks.
Excellent, thank you. This was so clear and to the point. Your online contribution is much appreciated.
Well done sir. This was exactly the video I needed. Going to tackle this project tomorrow. Hoping all goes well.
Excellent video that helped me with a ceiling fan install on a wall switch with no neutral. Same wiring setup as yours. Thank you.
That's great to hear. Thanks for the comment!
Thank you so much for this! I know it’s an old video, but I watched so many videos trying to trouble shoot why I couldn’t get the connections quite right for a new ceiling light and this was my exact wiring configuration! Thank thank thank you!
Good stuff. I’m a chief engineer for a management company and these type of videos are great training tools. My only critique is designating the difference between single pole switches vs three way and four ways. If you mentioned this my apologies but I didn’t hear anything about that because the DIY guy will just grab whatever he sees and it will be wrong. Nevertheless thanks for sharing I just subbed.
This was fantastic! Exactly the issue I’m working with. thanks for the video.
I've only watched the first five minutes of your video but you have already shown what I need to know so I can wire a setup to control some plug in shop lights in my pole barn. There was no way to hardwire these ones in without doing a really ugly job of it so I am doing the switch outlet approach. Every other video so far has no closeups that are good, no proper explanations, but yours is spot on. And I will make sure to mark the white wire with electrical tape. Thanks.
Good to hear, glad the video helped!
As a point of ease to be code approved in new runs from your panel to your switch box to what you want controlled by your switch. This keeps it neat and simple.
Extremely helpful, can’t thank you enough!
Thanks for a great explanation and clean install.
Finally a video regarding this issue well explained
Hard part is the magical step that led to the new Romex appearing in the box, without damaging the wall. Everything else was obvious. I was hoping for some guidance in threading the new cable through the wall, sigh.
Dan Swinehart sorry for the delayed response, I shot a video of the light install and never posted it, maybe I will because this question is coming up frequently. I cut a small hole in the wall near the ceiling. I then removed the existing switch and fed a fish tape through the spare hole in the top of the junction box up to the hole I cut in the wall. This is the least obtrusive way of doing this with minimal damage. Hope this helps you.
Fishing tape and a roller plate (it's a thing the shape of a single switch you can mount to the box, with metal roller wheels to prevent the cord from damaging the surrounding wall as you pull it through)
jedrokth yup, that’s the way to do it. I just posted a new video on my channel related to this.
Damn I said the exact same thing before seeing your comment lmao
Excellent, Very clear details. Thanks
Wow. Thank you for doing this. Super clear explanation.
You’re welcome...Glad you liked the video!
Nice clean job! Thanks for sharing..
Very helpful video. Nearly my entire house was wired so that switches controlled outlets, because the only build-in lights were in the kitchen & bathroom. All other rooms relied a lamp to be plugged in. Not only do I want to install lights and such in the ceiling, but I want to use smart switches to be controlled by my Amazon Echoes. Those smart switches require a neutral wire present. The only thing I'll need to do different from what was in this video is to make a pigtail from the neutral wire grouping to connect to the smart switch.
Yes, I’ve found this video has done well due to the popularity of smart switches the past year or 2. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks man. My house was old and had no neutral wire at the outlet switch. This is smart. Thank u. Im installing wifi dimmer switch.
Thank you!!
This looks fun, I’m about to try this I must have neutral wire for my WiFi switches!!!!✊💯🔥👌👀
Certain Lutron Caseta smart switches do not need a neutral wire - though you do need the Caseta hub.
This was extremely helpful. Thanks!
You’re welcome, glad the video helped!
Excellent video! So we’ll explained! Thank you!
Hey man this video helped me a ton thank you very very much
Great job....
If it were me doing the job, I would have utilized acgreen wire nut.
I also would have changed out the receptacle and single pole switch with better quality devices. They had to be old.
You went through all that work, just update the devices to safer, better quality.....
Straight to the point. Nice video
Paul Mauricio Thank you
Excellent instructions on this problem that I just came upon today, I do have one question if the switch works more than just one outlet like in a bedroom which outlet do you rewire the closest one to the switch?
Just what I needed! Awesome video
Thank you!!
Had the identical issue with my light switch. Was just going to tie into a circuit from the attic, drop it down and then back up to the light I'll be adding. Then after watching your video duh, go into the power outlet and put that neutral back on to an actual neutral wire, problem solved thank you so much
Yeah, i had that moment too a couple times before I thought of what I showed in the video. Glad you got it figured out!
Nice work with those wires
Elena Gilbert thanks!
Wow ! You are really quick !
Farmer Dave My wife tells me that all the time
Gr8 video! The only improvement I could suggest is a schematic or line drawing of what you were going to do so it is easier to visualize.
Great *
Nice video ,thanks!!!
Great job. Thx
Thank you so much really helpful video
Mike M You're welcome, thanks for taking the time to comment
Awesome video! Thank you.
Thank you!
Thanks! Well done.
Mike Ratcliffe thank you!
Great video. I wonder how many people blow themselves up each year trying to wire in switches when they have no clue what they are doing? Be CAREFUL guys, especially if you live in Europe or the UK, where the wires are Brown, Blue, and yellow and green :-) or Red, Black and Green if you're old school. We have 240 volts in the UK and it can KILL !!!
Thats why I mention "do this work at your own risk" and to hire an electrician if need be. People have their limitations, and its one of the reasons why I wouldn't hop in a cockpit and try to fly a plane . Thanks for the comment.
Wow great video
I HATE the turn power to outlet..... I need to rewire mine too. Thank You for show how to fix it.
Thank you very much for the education
You’re welcome!!
You helped me extremely I was lost but now I'm found
Good stuff!
Thank you 😊
Good video
Thank for the video. Just what I needed to find out. What if both wires are black?
Extremely helpful! Thank you!
007Tacoma You're welcome, good to hear!
Thank you.
Great video. My set up is very similar to yours. Light switch box had a hot white wire along with a hot black wire that controlled a single outlet on my wall.
I ran new wire Romex for a ceiling fan down to the switch box. Black, red, white and ground.
In switch box I have the power (white and black) tied into a pig tail leading into the switch. Loading out of the switch box is a pigtail that is tied to the fan light (black and red) running to the fan. The neutral wire in the new wire pulled has nothing to connect to so I believe the circuit cannot be completed. The power to the outlet however has been completed and is no longer reliant on the switch being flipped up to get power.
The difference I have is in my electrical outlet that was being controlled by the switch. I have on the gold side of the outlet a black and a red wire that are hot and two white wires that are not hot.
There are no extra white wires that have been pig tailed in the outlet box so I’m not sure how to get my neutral wire in the switch box to not have power anymore.
Any ideas?
Local codes here require green crimp sleeve on the bare copper grounding bundle. Also find it easier and neater to give the finished devise a one turn twist before placing into the box. The wires will then be neatly coiled up.
Yes, here too now as well. I added it after the video was filmed
Thank You!
You’re welcome, glad to help
This is the best way to do it... *IF* you no longer want to control the outlet via the switch. Assuming there's no other choice but to run another wire to the box if you still WANT TO control the outlet from the switch.
Question: would you just wire nut the cable ends if the switch was not being used until it might OR just pull the cable out if you don’t need that switch?
Great video..
Thank you!
Great video! Extremely helpful. I'm looking to convert my 3-way switch setup to a smart config but I only have a neutral on one switch end. I'm trying to avoid using a bridge and still have it compatible with Alexa and Google. I know a bridge can support many devices but because of the size of the house, I am trying to avoid it if possible as well as avoid running a new wire in the wall. Any ideas?
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!
good video, in my case sadly the switch without the neutral goes to a light so I believe I Need to run another wire to the light.
Matt neutral will be at ur fixture
thanks
Nice job...crystal clear!
Funny. That's the stupidest video ever seen
@@gregberban9273 You need experience to understand. That was just a little over your head.
@@sawhorse9820 master electrician 40yrs experience sure I do
@@gregberban9273 Ooops, then I'm sure your expertise is over my head ;-)
In MA you don’t need to identify the neutral , about a green wire nut for the ground wire, and if you are installing light fixtures you need to replace the breaker too AF
Luv those Pig Tails!
Yes, it's annoying to only find a switched live conductor has been run to a wall box. Nice exlaination.
I wanted to add a receptacle off my light switch. the switch is wired like this, with only 2 hots ( one black one white) and a ground, and no neutral. how would I wire this up?would it be easier to wire the switch from the light fixture since that is where the hot is coming in? how would I do that?
Good presentation, but one problem.
When you connected the ground wires in the switch box you twisted one ground wire around the other.
Electrical inspectors will be looking for the green wirenuts to be present or they will fail the inspection.
The green wirenuts have a hole in the end for one ground wire to go all the way through and the other ground wire is connected inside the box.
Tip: your wire stripper has a hole just above the stripping section to bend the J hook onto the stripped wire for the terminal. No need for the needle nose pliers for that purpose
No need for wire strippers or needle nose. Linesman is all you need
What type of spare wires did you use with to pigtail the hot and neutral in the outlet? If I have to buy a spare wire for that purpose, is there a range of guages that I can get from or does it have to be a particular guages or type?
I follow all the steps and I get it to work in the area I am working on, but I cause another breaker to trip! Any suggestions for a solution to that?
NEC 2017 require a neutral now. In all new installation. This due to many electronic devices that require a neutral. Because there was no neutral inside the box, the electrician would use the ground conductor. This way the NEC made this change. 12-2-2 or 14-2-2 is now being sold. No more switch loop in new switch box installation.
Robert Mattison Thanks for the info, good stuff!
We can generate a neutral wire by No neutral wire power supply kit from savekey.
Thank you for this video, like others I want to add a smart switch to control an old chandelier. In the switch box there is an early 2000’s Lutron dinner and only 2 wires a black and a purple. I’m assuming the black is the line and the purple is the load going to the fixture. Is it possible that the light fixture had the neutral wired directly and I can split off that connected via wire nut to run a neutral wire to the switch box?
hey, could you reply here when you found the answer? same situation here.
Good post. NOT pigtailing the neutral is a code violation and potentially harmful to equipment and a fire hazard.
The outlet was switched, now is always on. Makes it easier when you can lose functionality... Otherwise would have needed yet another romex between switch and outlet.
I have seen someone even install an outlet with just the hot and ground from the switch box as they are very close to each other !!! Although the outlet appears to work, that's a NO NO.
Great video but not sure it will work with my set up. My outlet doesn’t have the hot wires that are capped off in your video. Instead only has the load wire and neutral wires. How do I get power back to the outlet if the load wire is turned into a neutral?
10:38 where did the extra while log wire come from? Did you install that separately or was that already wedged in there? Thanks
kestrada670 That's the wire running up to the new recessed lighting. It was installed off video. Thanks for watching.
how did you get the new white wire going to the ceiling light in place? That's the hard part that I don't understand how to do.
Tim Yorty I shot a video of the light install and never posted it, maybe I will because this question is coming up frequently. I cut a small hole in the wall near the ceiling. I then removed the existing switch and fed a fish tape through the spare hole in the top of the junction box up to the hole I cut in the wall. This is the least obtrusive way of doing this with minimal damage. Hope this helps you.
im a electrician very well prepared n properly done yes the electrician before should had reidentified the neutral but he did not. keep up good work n god bless
panama1965 Thanks a lot for the comment and kind words. Appreciate it!
Thank you for the video. I have the same issue with mine. I don't know much about wiring and codes so I will double check with an electrician regarding the ground screw to a plastic box? All of the receptacle and switch boxes in my house are plastics. I wonder if they're not to code since I don't see any ground screws inside. Any who, thank you though.
Alex Nguyen Ground screw to a plastic j box is not necessary. You should have a ground screw however to the device (switch, outlet, light, etc). And yes, if you're not familiar with this type of work, definitely contact an electrician. Thanks for the comment!
Awesome video I did bought my house New on 2005 and this freaking electrician did the same thing, I don't know how did pass inspection
does the outlet turns on when the dimmer switch on or does outlet stay on all the time?
It's worth mentioning that while rewiring the outlet, you created a dangerous setup in the switch box - because the load and the line were newly connected there. If the switch was in the ON position and someone decided to turn the breaker on to test the outlet, there would be some fireworks. For peace of mind, it would have been much safer to disconnect the switch *before* changing the load wire to neutral in the outlet.
James Watson Working by myself in an empty house I wasn't too worried about that but I see where you're coming from. Thanks for the comment brother!
Safety standards are to put tape over the breaker if not working alone in a house. That should be recognized as not normal by most. Also let others in the house know you have turned off a breaker. Also off and tripped at different physically at the breaker.
Good video, but no one would think that switch wire is a neutral, even a novice .
Before this I had no clue how you could even have a switch with no neutral lol. I feel dumb
Yup, sort of an old school way of wiring. Codes have changed for new installs and require a neutral in switch boxes to accommodate smart switches/devices
Can u do the same for a ceiling fan?
I have an older decora light switch that looks like there's only 2 wires connected to the back of the switch: a Load and Line wire. Inside the box are 2 ground wires twisted together with a nut at the tip. And 2 neutral wires twisted together with a nut at the tip. I want to place a new decora switch but it requires me to connect the line, load, neutral, and ground wire to the actual decora light switch. my Q is: how do I now connect the 2 neutral wires, and the 2 ground wires to the back of the switch. Do I need to splice it or buy a ground and neutral wire connector addition? Thanks! Great video btw.
F C you can pigtail off the existing wire nuts to the new switch. A pigtail is just a short jumper wire. So instead of 2 wires under each wire nut, you'll now have 3. (3 neutrals and 3 grounds). Just work safe and smart. If you're unsure, get an electrician in. Thanks for the compliments, I appreciate it!
@fixitwitzim - Is there a similar way to install standard smart three-way switches in a box where the electrician used the neutral from the breaker box as a traveler?
I have a three-way switch with the Neutrals in the box, but this is the load switch (shorts the circuit, when I connect the Neutral wire to the switch), and the line switch uses the Neutral wire as one of the Travelers! The line switch is configured in a two-gang box with another three-way switch (I would like to replace that one, too). Can I pig-tail the Line (or Neutral) wire from the adjacent switch to the Neutral for the smart switch? Thanks.
Question- my dining room has neutral wires and has a smart dimmer installed. RIGHT behind it on the other side of the wall there's the kitchen light switch box, but no neutral. Can I pull the dining room neutral through the back to supply neutrals for the kitchen light switch? Just add a short white colored wire between them? Thanks!
I know this is a ridiculously late response but only do that if the kitchen and dining room are on the same breaker
So, what if I’m installing a ceiling fan and the switch already has a neutral in the box? The switch controls an outlet so i need to use your method to rewire the outlet I’m assuming.
SAME. Idk if it’s any different or if it’s the same procedure!
I have a bedroom with a ceiling fan and lights. The lights are controlled by a wall switch which only has 1 romex cable with black, white and ground coming into it. The back is providing power and the white appears to be the switch leg to control the lights. There is no neutral wire, just the bare ground.
The fan is controlled by a pull chain at the fan. I’m guessing they spliced the hots in the fan j-box with legs to the pull chain and the wall switch box (for the lights). My question is can I disconnect the bare ground in the switch box and the fan j-box and re-wire as a neutral to be able to install a wifi switch which requires a neutral? Also do you know if the wifi switch will work without a ground and is it safe?
There is no way to pull a new neutral into this box and get it to the light.
If you crawl in the attic you can.
Excellent video and explanation of why black tape or marking should always be added. However, i cringed when You cut excess wire off. I never do that since i came across to many jobs that had wires way too short.
rms59 Thanks for the compliments. When we I trim the wiring in a j box, i make sure to leave enough for future work. The pinky and thumb trick which I'm sure you know is what I use to gauge the length of my stub outs. I like to trim all the conductors to the same length for ease of install
What's the thumb and pinky trick? stubs should be as long as the distance from thumb to pinky?
@@n5yiz I'm guessing that's what he means. When I was helping my electrician wire our house, he told me to put my middle fingertip on the wall above the outlet and to extend my thumb all the way out. Pull the wires out of the box (this was right after the drywall was installed, so the wires were still long) and snip them off at the end of your thumb. This gives you roughly six inches of slack, while not totally crowding the interior of the box.
@@jossimbyr Thanks...I'll have to remember that trick.
I have similar issue. My switch control small bathroom fan. The power source come into the fan first. The switch has only 1 romex 14/2 come into the box. I have a bare copper ground connect to the switch, a back wire constant power supply connect to brass screw and a white (not neutral) connect to other brass screw on the switch to return the power back to the fan. Now, I like to add an outlet right below the switch but I dont have a neutral wire. What is the best way resolve this issue? Thanks in advance Zim
I found this a lot in older homes
If I have 1 black/white/red wire going to a one way switch is my white not a neutral?
can you use the same configuration and add a dual single pole switch?
soulsurfdog Yes since all the neutrals in a switch box get tied together in most cases.
nice
joel williams Thanks
Hello. Great great video. I’m trying to figure out how to add a neutral wire to a switch box from a light fixture. Our house in 98 years old and unfortunately does not have any neutral wires. And I cannot do your method in video because there isn’t an electrical outlet on the side of the room I’m working on.
I want to install a smart switch for my kitchen and dining room. I’ve read you can add a neutral by running a wire directly from light fixture (chandelier) back to the switch box. Is this accurate? If so, do you have any videos that may cover this, or which terminal/screw on light fixture would be used for the neutral out? Thank you again for your video and your help (if possible).
Sounds like you have power coming into your light fixture junction box and they ran a single piece of wire from that box to your switch box to crest a switched leg. These actually aren’t allowed in most places anymore due to the inception of smart switches and devices. Check the link in the description of this video or it might be in the pinned comment. It’s some additional tips for running new wires in existing walls. Hope this helps