How to Wire an Electrical Light Switch

Electrical circuits often contain a power source, a switch and a light. The power source may be the circuit breaker panel in your house or another powered device such as a power outlet.

Things You'll Need

• 14-2 Electrical cable (length as needed)
• Electrician's fish tape
• Wire cutters
• Utility knife
• Wire strippers
• "Old work"-style electrical box
• Single pole (2-way) switch
• Wire connectors (orange)
• Switch cover

Instructions

1. Turn off the electrical power to any circuit on which you will be working.

2. Identify a power source. This is most commonly an existing electrical outlet.

3. Remove the electrical outlet cover, and remove the outlet from the work box.

4. Cut a hole in the drywall and install a work box at the location where you want to mount the switch. An "old work"-style box allows installation of the box without the need to patch drywall.

5. Run a length of 14-2 electrical cable from the power source work box to the switch work box. An electrician's fish tape may assist in pulling this wire from box to box.

   Pull about 8 inches of 14-2 cable into each box.

6. Remove the outer insulation from the wire pulled into the power source work box. This is easiest to accomplish by cutting the insulation lengthwise with a utility knife.

   Remove 1/2 inch of insulation from the black and white conductors with your wire strippers.

7. Connect the black and white wires to the black and white wires already connected to the outlet. This connection can be made at the outlet by wrapping the bare wire clockwise around the screw terminals and tightening. Attach the black wire to the gold screw terminal and the white wire to the silver one.

   Connect the ground wire to the existing ground wires. Remove the existing wire connector and add the new ground wire to the bundle. Reattach the wire connector.

8. Run a length of cable from the electrical switch work box to the light fixture.

9. At the switch work box, remove 8 inches of outer insulation from each of the 14-2 cables. Expose 1/2 inch of the black conductors and 1 inch of the white conductors.

   Connect each of the black conductors to one terminal on the switch.

   Connect the two white wires together with a wire connector.

   Add a 6-inch length of bare conductor wire to the ground connector on the switch, and then connect all three ground wires together with a wire connector.

10. Fold the wires into the electrical work box. Mount the switch into the box and install the switch cover plate.

11. At the light fixture, remove 8 inches of outer insulation from the 14-2 cable, and expose the ends of the black and white conductors. Connect each of these conductors and the ground wire to the light fixture in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

    Mount the light into the electric box.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a nonswitched outlet as a power source.

• "Old work" electrical boxes are generally not approved for mounting of ceiling lights

References

• "Ultimate Guide to Wiring;" Editors of Creative Homeowner; 2007