It isn't unusual to wire two or more light and switch combinations from the same power source -- in fact, it's common practice. Cut the cable, making sure that there are at least six inches of cable that are available to be fed through the box. A switch with three wires could be used for a hall light with a switch at each end. Double pole light switches, sometimes called a four-way switch, are essentially two single pole switches put together. Make sure you cut the non-identified (hot) wire only. % of people told us that this article helped them. Put this in your pocket to avoid accidental replacement Or switch off the breaker and lock it if you can Single pole switch is referred as a single pole, single throw switch. If the cable is too tight to permit at least six inches from each end to extend into the box, cut the feed from the breaker first. I want to change the double switch to two single switches so I can www.diychatroom.com Frequently, the feed wire terminals (screws) are black or silver. Remove about six inches off the jacket from each end of the severed cable, and wrap black electrical tape on the piece of wire connected to the panel, at the junction were the jacket ends and the wires are exposed to indicate which line will be hot. You can never be too careful when working with electricity. If you discover your wiring is aluminum, stop work immediately and contact a wiring professional. You can then pull the faceplate right off. The green screw is for the grounding wire. Such a switch can also provide immediate electrical access if required. This installation illustrated here uses a three-wire cable but it is exactly the same wiring at the switch in two-wire cable installation for the colored wires, except that the neutral (white) wires are to be ignored. Hello, I am trying to switch between two 30AMP Outlets. Go to the location of the switch you are replacing. If necessary, use a wire stripper to expose about a half inch of both the hot and neutral wires. Insert the cable through the connector into the electrical box, as shown in Figure 3. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/40\/Wire-a-Double-Switch-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Wire-a-Double-Switch-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/40\/Wire-a-Double-Switch-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid1454214-v4-728px-Wire-a-Double-Switch-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-replace-a-double-light-switch, http://www.familyhandyman.com/electrical/how-to-use-cheap-electrical-testers/view-all, http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/21326/is-a-ground-required-when-replacing-an-old-single-pole-single-throw-switch, http://www.lowes.com/cd_Electrical+101_193125234_, http://www.doityourself.com/stry/troubleshooting-tips-for-light-switch-wiring, http://www.thecircuitdetective.com/electrical_wiring_connections.htm, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Hello world!