What is line and load on a light switch?
The line side of an outlet is where you connect the incoming source power. The load side is where the power leaves the device (or electrical box) and travels down the circuit.
What happens if you mix up line and load?
Here’s what happens when somebody wires a GFCI receptacle with the load and line wires reversed: The GFCI will work, in the sense that you can plug in a hair dryer and the hair dryer will blow hot air. But when you push the little “test monthly” button, and the “reset” button pops out, the receptacle stays live.
What is the line wire on a light switch?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: The line wire comes from the breaker box so it should have power when I hold the tester next to it. The load wire sends power to the light itself so it shouldn't have power when the switch is off.
Which is line and which is load?
Line is the side of the device where the wires from the panel (or other equipment feeding the device) are connected. Load is where any devices that are to be protected by the GFCI device are connected.
What color wire is line and load?
The color for the Line wire is usually black and the Load wire is usually red, black, or blue (less common).
How do you identify a load and line wire?
The easiest way of identifying the line/hot and load wires is to check the colors of the insulation. White and grey wires are neutral; green with yellow stripes, green and copper are ground wires, black can be line/upstream wire, red or black are load/downstream. The white or black are travelers.
Is load wire white or black?
black
So, what color is the load wire? Load wires are mostly black, but red can also be used as a secondary load wire. They are also connected to the switch’s top half, while line wires are connected to the switch’s bottom half.
Is line or load — the hot wire?
Line is very hot. The wire from the switch to the device is called load.
What happens if you wire a light switch wrong?
If you damage the wires during installation, you could break the switch, or the wires could come loose. Loose wires present a danger when changing the light switch. Thirdly, you could create a short circuit in the switch. A short circuit can cause the breaker or fuse to pop.
How do you know if a light switch is wired correctly?
Test for Power
Remove the screws on the switch cover plate, and pull off the cover plate to expose the switch wiring. Without touching any wires, test each wire in the electrical box with a non-contact voltage tester. Also, test each of the side terminals on the switch by touching it with the tip of the tester.
Which wire is hot on switch?
black wire
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.
What color is the common wire on a light switch?
white
In a light switch, the common wire is normally white. The common wire brings electricity from the bulb back to the source.
What are the 3 wires on a light switch?
With a three-way switch, three wires connect the pair of switches—two black “traveler” wires and a third “common” wire. When the circuit’s power is turned on, any of these may be “hot,” depending upon how the switches are toggled.
What are the three wires in a light switch?
Three wires will be attached to your switch: a hot (black) wire, a neutral (white) wire and a ground (copper) wire. The black and white wires are attached using brass screws.
