How to Make a Double Light Switch From a Single Light Switch

  1. Ensure all power is off.
  2. Remove the old switch.
  3. Identify the switch wires.
  4. Disconnect the wires from old switch.
  5. Connect wires to new switch.

How do you replace a single switch with a double switch?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Around first things first i wanted to kill power to the light switch then i could take the trim plate off open it up pull the light switch.

Can I use a two way switch instead of a one way?





A two way switch can be used as a one way switch or a two way switch. They are often used as both. In fact many electrical retailers (including Socket Store) don’t sell one way switches as the price difference is insignificant and the two way will do the job for both.

How do I add a second light switch to an existing light?

How to Add a Second Light Switch Without Wiring

  1. Unscrew the wall plate.
  2. Unscrew the existing switch.
  3. Mark the wires before you remove them.
  4. Disconnect the wires from the current switch.
  5. Connect wires to the corresponding parts of the Lutron switch.


Can I change a single light switch to a double UK?

It is quite acceptable to change the single switch to a twin switch to control the new outside light. You will have to add some additional wiring, as it is most likely the existing garage light control switch will just have a permenant live supply and a return switch line back to the light fitting.

Can I use a double pole switch as a single pole?





A double pole switch can be used to control light and a fan or 2 lights on separate circuits. It is easy to wire a double pole switch to work as a single pole switch because only one side is used instead of both.

How do you wire a single pole dual switch?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: This method will require the following wires. Be present in the wallbox. – black hot wires. – black load wires. And a bare copper ground wire. Keep in mind the color of the wires may vary.

What’s the difference between an intermediate switch and a 2 way switch?

An Intermediate Light Switch is where 3 lighting points control the same circuit. One light switch in a bedroom controlling say a central light would be a 1 gang 1 way light switch. On a staircase, a light switch at the bottom and at the top of the stairs controlling the landing light circuit would be a 2 way circuit.

What is the use of two way switch?

When would I use a two way light switch? You would use a two way light switch when you have two switches controlling one light, for instance in a hallway, where you have a switch at both ends of the hallway that controls the hallway light. You are able to switch the light on and off from either end of the hallway.

What does 2 way mean on a light switch?



Two way switching means you can switch the same light fixture from two switches that are located in different sides of a room. Two way switches have a COM terminal as well as L1 and L2 terminals.

How do I separate multiple lights on one switch?

3 Answers

  1. Get a 2-gang box to replace your existing 1-gang box.
  2. Get a new switch.
  3. Remove your existing box and install the 2-gang box in its place.
  4. Run your supply hot wire to both switches.
  5. Connect the light/fan hot wire to one switch and the exterior light to the other.
  6. Join all neutrals and ground wires.


How do you connect two lights to two switches from one power source?



Run 12-gauge electrical cable between each switch and the light it controls. Pull one end of each cable through the back of one of the light fixture electrical boxes. Strip both ends of each cable with a knife, separate the wires and remove 1/2 inch of insulation from the end of each.

Can I take power from a light switch?

You can pull power from a switch box—sometimes



Switch boxes can sometimes be used as a power source for a new outlet, but only if the box is large enough and has neutral and ground wires running through it.

What happens if you wire a light switch 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.

How do I make my outlets always hot?

What you need to do is create a parallel circuit. As always, turn off the circuit breaker for that switch before any changes! For the outlet to be a permanently on, non-switch circuit, you need to bypass the switch. As @JimmyFix-It has said, you need to tie the Red wire and the Black Wires (Live) together.

Can you add an electrical outlet from a light switch?



Adding an electrical outlet next to an existing light switch is easy, as long as there is a neutral wire in the box. Step 1: Turn the power supply off to the light switch at the main electrical panel. Step 2: Remove the switch plate and unscrew the switch from the outlet box. Step 3: Pull the switch out from the box.

Can I wire lights and outlets on the same circuit?

Yes, you can. The average home uses an indoor distribution board that houses the breakers of the majority of circuits in the home. A circuit controlled by a 15A circuit breaker (which a lot of contractors use for general lighting) can also accommodate outlets.

Can a GFCI outlet be connected to a light switch?

Electrically there is no problem with powering the light with the hot and neutral feed to the GFCI receptacle. You could use pigtails to the receptacle line (and not use the load connection) and to the light switch so the lights would’t go out if the GFCI receptacle tripped.

How many outlets can be on a 15 amp circuit?

8 outlets



Technically, you can have as many outlets on a 15 amp circuit breaker as you want. However, a good rule of thumb is 1 outlet per 1.5 amps, up to 80% of the capacity of the circuit breaker. Therefore, we would suggest a maximum of 8 outlets for a 15 amp circuit.

Can you put 12 gauge wire on a 15 amp circuit?

Because it has even less chance of overheating, 12-gauge wire is also acceptable on a 15-amp circuit.

How many LED lights can you put on a 15 amp circuit?

Each CFL or LED bulb typically gives the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb while drawing 10 watts or less, which is equivalent to a current draw of 1/12 amp. Thus a 15-amp circuit can safely control 180 or more fixtures that use CFL or LED bulbs.