How to Wire a Basic House Switch
The primary function of an electrical house switch is to stop electricity from flowing through a circuit as safely as possible. A switch can be placed anywhere in a circuit. The national electrical code (NEC) requires that electricity enter a circuit at the switch. This technique prevents the main contact areas of the circuit from being energized during operations, such as changing a light bulb. Installing a switch properly is very important when dealing with electricity. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Turn off the power and verify that the power at your circuit is off using a voltage tester. Locate the black (hot) wire coming from the main power panel. This is where electricity enters the circuit.
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Strip about 1/2-inch of insulation off of the black and white wires. Hold the switch right side up and unscrew the top terminal screw until it stops. Wrap the exposed portion of the black wire around this terminal and tighten that terminal screw. Repeat this for the bottom screw using the white wire.
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Mark the other end of the white wire using a permanent marker or by wrapping it with electrical tape. This is done to indicate that electricity enters that electrical box on a white wire since a switch is installed.
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Bolt the switch to the switch box and screw down the switch cover.
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