How to replace a light switch. In more words than you want to read.....
So apparently the dual-light switch in my bathroom has an allergic reaction whenever my fist comes in contact with it. I've got a bad habit of sorta punching the dual-switch that turns on the fart fan and the 2nd light.
Well, it finally broke and I had to replace it today. Being that I'm an electrician, I had no worries about doing it. I chose a Leviton light switch because I always choose Leviton. They've been around for years and they'll still be here in years when I need to replace this switch again.
The following image is everything I planned on using to swap out the damaged switch with a new switch. Obviously there's the switch to replace the old one. Then a flat head screwdriver because I have yet to come across a light switch or receptacle that is Phillips ONLY. Needle nose because I like to make sure the wires are bent nice and snug around the screws of the switch. Always have my wire strippers ready just in case I need to cut the wire and re-strip it. Black electrical tape because whenever I do work at home, I like to wrap the electrical contacts with tape to minimize the risk of shock or shorts in the future. And then I had my trusty candle and my firestick to light the candle. Sure I could of used a flashlight, but I don't like holding the flashlight in my mouth while I work and the candle does a nice job of spreading an even light in the area.
Now to get started...........
Turn off all the electronic devices in the house because they don't like the surge of power when the breakers get turned back on after the job is done.
Then I made sure my tools were on the bathroom sink waiting for me to begin and I also lit the candle so I'm not stumbling like an idiot in the dark. Went to the panel and turned EVERYTHING off. Its not necessary to turn everything off but I prefer the "better safe than sorry" method and electricity has a funny way of shocking your ass in ways that should technically be impossible.
Power is off and I begin!
Took the light switch plate off, put the plate and its screws clearly out of my way to avoid breaking the plate and avoid losing the screws. Then I unscrewed the light switch and carefully pulled it out of the electrical box ensuring that I didn't damage the wires at all on the edges of the metal box. Before I even start to remove the wires from the light switch, I make a mental picture of how it is wired. Which wires go where and why. Notice in the following picture how I have a black and red wire landed on the side facing the camera. Often times, there would only be one "hot" wire. "Hot" wire being the wire that power is coming from the panel on. The wires that leave the switch and go to the light or fart fan, would be referred to as the "switch legs".
Look at this picture below, see the brass tab that my red arrow is pointing at? That's actually a jumper that is tyeing both those black screws together. So if I had only 1 "Hot" wire coming into the switch, the power would be transferred to both black screws.
Due to the fact that I have 2 "Hot" wires coming in, I need to remove that jumper tab. Which is easy to do, especially with a pair of needle nose. You just bend it over a few times and it snaps right off.
Here's a pic of the back of the light switch, most big manufacturers, such as Leviton identify each terminal screw. In the pic, which is out of focus, you'll notice the top black screws say COMMON. These are the incoming wire terminal screws. And the bottom brass screws are labeled A1 and B1. Which is just a way of identifying each switch-leg. This switch truly is 2 separate switches mounted on 1 yoke. The left black screw will transfer power to the left B1 brass screw and the right black screw will transfer power to the right A1 screw.
Okay, back to wiring up this switch.
After paying close attention to how the original switch had its wires placed, I removed the wires from each terminal screw. Sometimes its difficult to remove the hooked wire from the screws so I often just back the screws up and out. They basically strip out and fall out of the switch. Which is no big deal because you are going to toss it in the trash anyway. Once the wires are dangling free, I grab my needlenose, reshape the hooked wires to my desire and then land them on the screws of my new switch in their respective locations.
Tighten all the terminal screws and place the switch back in the box. If you are unsure which way is up, look closely at the switch and you'll see words stamped on it. Such as the word LEVITON, if the word is upright then you've got the switch correctly. But it technically doesn't matter that much since these switches rock horizontally, not vertically.
Place the switch plate back on and a good electrician always has the slots of the screws on the plate running vertically. Its just an added touch to have all the screws matching and all vertical. Before you go turning the power back on, odds are you got the switch and the plate dirty. Give it a quick cleaning and then go turn the power back on and hopefully the place doesn't burn down. Which it shouldn't if you didn't damage any wires and you paid attention to how you put the new switch back in and made sure nothing was coming in contact with the wires.
Don't forget to blow out the candle. Sure wouldn't want to fucking burn the place down after all your hard work ya dumbass!
, drsampr
