vyacheslav
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- Sep 20, 2016
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Hello,
I originally had two horizontal switches that take up the same space as a normal, vertical single pole switch. I replaced the switch to a more modern dual horizontal/rocker switch. I took pictures with my phone, made notes and hooked up everything exactly as it was with the old switch. Here is the issue:
On the original switches (photos below), the top switch operated two kitchen overhead lights, the bottom switch operated an outdoor light (that was also on a different circuit). After I hooked everything back up, now the top switch turns on both the kitchen and outdoor lights simultaneously. When I turn the switch off, it turns them both off simultaneously. The same is true for the bottom switch. When I turn one switch on (either top or bottom) and turn the other one on as well, they both stay on. So the "Cycle" is : One switch in the on position: Both lights on. Both switches in the on position, both lights on. One switch in the off position, both lights on, both switches in the off position, both lights off.
The only thing I did differently is that on the outdoor light (the bottom switch), the ground wire was not hooked up to the old switch, so I hooked the ground wire up properly to the new switch. Could that be the culprit?
The photos attached are of the old switch, but everything is hooked back up in the exact same way, except the grounding wire as noted above. For the kitchen overhead lights (there are two), the two white wires are wire nutted together and the two grounding wires are wire nutted together. The two black wires are connected to the switch (top terminals). Before I disconnected the wires from the old switch, I marked what would be the common or white wire with orange electrical tape, since they are both black. Photo 4 is the new switch I installed (stock photo from Home Depot, but it's the same exact switch). I made sure to put the white wires in the terminals marked "common" on the new switch (on the right side when switch is correct side up, meaning the switch is "on" when the right side of the switch is lower, and the switch is "off" when the left side of the switch is lower, and with the writing/marking on the switch from the factory right side up. In photo 4 below, the switches are in the "off" position).
Any insight you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
V
I originally had two horizontal switches that take up the same space as a normal, vertical single pole switch. I replaced the switch to a more modern dual horizontal/rocker switch. I took pictures with my phone, made notes and hooked up everything exactly as it was with the old switch. Here is the issue:
On the original switches (photos below), the top switch operated two kitchen overhead lights, the bottom switch operated an outdoor light (that was also on a different circuit). After I hooked everything back up, now the top switch turns on both the kitchen and outdoor lights simultaneously. When I turn the switch off, it turns them both off simultaneously. The same is true for the bottom switch. When I turn one switch on (either top or bottom) and turn the other one on as well, they both stay on. So the "Cycle" is : One switch in the on position: Both lights on. Both switches in the on position, both lights on. One switch in the off position, both lights on, both switches in the off position, both lights off.
The only thing I did differently is that on the outdoor light (the bottom switch), the ground wire was not hooked up to the old switch, so I hooked the ground wire up properly to the new switch. Could that be the culprit?
The photos attached are of the old switch, but everything is hooked back up in the exact same way, except the grounding wire as noted above. For the kitchen overhead lights (there are two), the two white wires are wire nutted together and the two grounding wires are wire nutted together. The two black wires are connected to the switch (top terminals). Before I disconnected the wires from the old switch, I marked what would be the common or white wire with orange electrical tape, since they are both black. Photo 4 is the new switch I installed (stock photo from Home Depot, but it's the same exact switch). I made sure to put the white wires in the terminals marked "common" on the new switch (on the right side when switch is correct side up, meaning the switch is "on" when the right side of the switch is lower, and the switch is "off" when the left side of the switch is lower, and with the writing/marking on the switch from the factory right side up. In photo 4 below, the switches are in the "off" position).
Any insight you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
V
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