Tuesday, November 23, 2010

How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?

i want one of those flat switches that can be turned off and on by touching and not flipping the switch; is this an easy thing to do; do i need to turn off the elect at the circuit breaker



thank you for your help.How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?If the old light switch was wired properly, the power need not be shut off. If the white wires are attached to the screws on the old switch you don't need the popwer off as they are the nuetral wires. Take the wire attached to the dark screw off the old switch and attach it to the dark wire on the new one. The same goes for the wire attached to the silver screw. Throw away the old switch and ra attach the new switch to the box. Install the new cover and you're ready for rock and roll...and light too.How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?Fortunately hitting a target at 1000 yards is easy too if you have got practice. Electricity is extremely dangerous and replacing something as simple as a switch is never-the-less a very critical process.



Just to give you an idea why, would you believe all of the above answers are incorrect ? That is right. Turning off the breaker does NOT insure the circuit will be dead. Any trained electrician will know there as such things as double fed and shared neutrals which can leave a nasty little surprise.



You job involves turning off the main.. that is killing the entire house. Remove the switch and reconnect everything up as was to the new switch. That is the only safe way to do this.



Note: Aluminium wire requires the proper aluminium devices.How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?There's a reason that %26quot;old timers%26quot; aren't around to answer these questions.... don't EVER touch a wire to see if it is live! Also, don't touch the black and white wires together to see if a circuit is live.



Just follow John's instructions and you'll be fine.How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?My dad told me that the old timers used to touch the end of the wires to see what was hot. If it were me though, I'd still make the long trip to the breaker box to shut off the juice.



The project is easy enough, switches in general are all basically the same. Take out the old and replace with the new.How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?Yes. Turn off the circuit breaker for that switch. Kris is a little over the top. Shared neutrals and such don't make a bit of difference because you are not going to fool with the neutral. Ok, now we have that sorted out. Turn on the light, turn off the circuit breaker that makes the light go out.



Pull the switch out. Look at how many wires connect to the sides of the switch. Not counting the ground. 2 or 3 or 4, depending if it is a simple single pole, a three way, or a 4 way. Buy a switch with a matching configuration. Install that new switch the same way as the one you take out. Make sure your connections are tight using the screws or clamp type connections tightened with screws. Don't use the slip in wire connections on the back. They are failure prone.How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?very easy job to do. First you will need to find the circuit to the switch. Once you have the electric turned off, take the old switch out of the wall. Get masking tape and wrap around each wire so you can label them so they go back exactly how you took them off. The new switch should have the same screws to put the wires back on. Then take the wires off the old switch and put onto the new switch. screw the new switch back into the box, and screw the plate back on. then turn on the electricity and hopefully everything works well. only tool you should need is a flat head screw driver, but it might be nice to have a wire detector to make sure power is turned off.How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?Very easy project. Is the switch you are replacing a part of a 2 or more switches that control the same light or outlet. If not you are in luck. Just turn of the breaker that handles this switch and replace it. The instructions in the new switch pkg will walk you through it. If it is a part of something bigger you will need to explain that in the store and they will sell you same switch that will be able to work with other switches on same circuit. You still can do it, it is not hard just an extra wire.

Good Luck!How do i change the light switch to a newer one that is flat?Yes...you need to turn the power off at breaker switch. You will need both the new flat switch and switch cover. Take off the old cover once power is off....remove the old switch and disconnect the 2 wires. On switches you can attach the 2 wires to either pole or connection. Screw the new switch back in with the ON position at top. Once it's secure...put the new cover on.....and then go turn on power at breaker box.
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