Why is wire hot when switch is off?

Sounds like the switch is after the light, ie) power goes to the light then to the switch. In this case the black is always hot and the white from the switch is also hot, but controlled by the switch. The other part of this is whether the person who wired the switch and light knew what they were doing.

Why would there be two hot wires?





The reason for multiple hot/neutral wires for one outlet is that the outlets are daisy-chained together. This means hot/neutral is only coming from one of the wires and it is being sent to the other wire.

Does a light fixture have power when switch is off?

In the first situation the switch turns off all electricity to the outlet, and you can safely work on your light. In the second situation the switch does not turn off any power at the fixture itself, it only breaks the circuit AFTER the outlet box, but 120v ac is still hot in the box.

What happens if you connect two hot wires?

Two hots of same circuit – nothing should happen.

Which wire is hot if both are black?

Here’s a rundown of electrical wires: The black wire is the “hot” wire, it carries the electricity from the breaker panel into the switch or light source. The white wire is the “neutral” wire, it takes any unused electricity and current and sends it back to the breaker panel.

Why are there 2 black wires on light switch?





Black means hot, white signifies neutral, and green indicates ground. However, if you need to rewire a light switch or a plug socket, you may occasionally come across two black wires. It’s essential that you determine which black wire is hot before proceeding.

Can 2 hot wires share a neutral?

What is a multiwire branch circuit? A multiwire branch circuit is a branch circuit with a shared neutral. This means there are two or more ungrounded (hot) phase or system conductors with a voltage between them and a shared neutral.

What is a secondary hot wire?

Red wires are usually used as secondary hot wires. Red wires are also hot and should be clearly marked to avoid the dangers of electrocution. Red wires are commonly used when installing ceiling fans, where the light switch maybe.

How do you hook up a 2 wire light fixture?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: We're going to bend the ends. And then on the light kit. We have our brass and our silver the white wire goes to the silver. And the black wire goes to the brass.

Can you pigtail 2 hot wires?



They just can’t do it both at once.



If they try, they will overload the single feed wire with double its rated current. There must be an overcurrent protection device sized to protect that single wire, and it will act.

What happens if light fixture is wired wrong?

But here’s the catch: If you connect the circuit wires to the wrong terminals on an outlet, the outlet will still work but the polarity will be backward. When this happens, a lamp, for example, will have its bulb socket sleeve energized rather than the little tab inside the socket.

Can you pigtail hot wires?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: About 3/4 of an inch on both sides of both pieces of wire and this is going to be our pigtail. So now I'm going to take this pigtail. And I'm going to combine it with the other two hot wires.

How do you ground pigtail 2 wires?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: All. We have to do is loosen. Up this ground screw with the appropriate. Screwdriver. Take our pigtail. Put a little hook on the end. Remember.

Is Pigtailing necessary?

No, pigtailing is not required for 2-wire circuits. However, for multiwire branch circuits (3-wire or 4-wire circuits) where the removal of such devices would interrupt its continuity, the continuity of a grounded (neutral) conductor cannot be dependant on device connections [300.13(B)].

How do you piggyback electrical wires?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Clip off the end to make sure it's nice and straight. And make sure that my wire nuts actually going to cover the exposed copper. And then I take the wire. Nut. And I screw wire nut on.

What is electrical piggyback?

Piggyback to add a new switch or outlet. Piggybacking is a wiring technique that jumps from one junction box to another. As long as the maximum amount of amperage per circuit is observed, this technique is safe.

What are pigtails electrical?



What is an electrical pigtail? An electrical pigtail is a technique used to lengthen short wires or combine multiple wires together and leave one conductor that can connect to electrical devices such as a switch or outlet, and it’s simple enough for homeowners to perform on their own.

How many hot wires can you pigtail?

The only appropriate way to wire a receptacle in a box with three cables is to use pigtails to connect the receptacles. ​Never connect more than one wire under a single screw terminal.

Which wire is hot when both are same color?

In most modern fixtures the neutral wire will be white and the hot wire is red or black. In some types of fixtures, both wires will be the same color. In this case, the neutral wire is always identified by some means. In some cases, there will be small writing on the wiring case.

Are grounding pigtails safe?

In a system with metal boxes, the pigtail method is considered the most secure. In this arrangement both the receptacle and metal box are grounded.