How to Wire a Dual Electrical Light Switch

In some areas of your home, space limitations may prevent you from enlarging the size of an electrical switch box. The solution is a dual electrical light switch. With this device, you can wire an electrical box that originally held only a single switch. Thus, you will now have one switch above the other, maximizing your limited space. You can then conveniently operate your fixtures independently, instead of turning both on with the same switch.

Things You'll Need

• Red wire connectors
• Phillips or slotted screwdriver
• Single outlet wall plate

Instructions

1. Turn off the breaker inside the main electrical panel, disconnecting the electricity to the electrical switch box.

2. Twist a red wire connector onto the three white wires located inside the switch box, connecting them together. Twist another red wire connector onto the three bare copper wires located inside the switch box. Each light fixture requires a white or neutral wire along with a bare copper ground wire. The power supply wire that connects back to the electrical panel also requires a white and bare copper wire.

3. Wrap the black power supply wire, the one that runs back to the electrical panel, around a screw on the right side of the dual electrical light switch. There are two screws on this side of the light switch that connect together with a metal tab.

4. Wrap one black wire from the light fixture around one screw on the left side of the dual electrical light switch. Wrap the remaining black wire inside the electrical switch box around the remaining screw on the left side of the switch.

5. Tighten the screws on the dual electrical light switch to hold the black wires securely to the switch. Gently push all the wiring inside and to the back of the electrical switch box. Connect the dual light switch to the top and the bottom of the switch box with screws provided with the dual light switch.

6. Cover the dual light switch, wiring and electrical box with a single outlet wall plate. Turn on the breaker inside the main electrical panel that supplies power to the electrical switch box.

Tips & Warnings

• To avoid electrical shock, test to verify that you have disconnected the electricity.

References

• Free-ed.net: Installing Convenience Devices
• "Wiring 1-2-3"; Steve Cory; 2005