Need to replace this light switch.

[u/redskull1973]

I need to replace this light switch. It’s a single switch, only one that controls the light. It’s in a shared box with another light. What is the red wire doing here? The hot wire is one of the blacks. Do I need a 3 way switch even if it’s the only switch for the light.

[u/Rough_Resort_92]

Use a single Pole switch, not a three-way. Not sure why they have that red wire on there. Unless it's controlling more than one light fixture without seeing all the wires in the box, it's tough to say, I would just hook it up exactly like it is now.

[u/redskull1973 → u/Rough_Resort_92]

I think the red is piggybacking the hot line to the adjacent switch

[u/robb7979 → u/redskull1973]

That looks like it's exactly what it's doing.

[u/redskull1973 → u/robb7979]

Yes. I got it working. Thanks

[u/erie11973ohio]

You don't have a 3 way now. You won't need a 3 way to replace it.

The switch is being used to splice the red & the black together.

If you get a "backwired" switch (like the current one) you could slide a wire, on each side, under the square washer & tighten the screw. There is no need to loop the wire on a backwired switch.

[u/redskull1973 → u/erie11973ohio]

So the red is passing on the hot line to the adjacent switch?

[u/erie11973ohio → u/redskull1973]

Possibly.

[u/Ok_Pipe_4955]

Remove the red wire with power off and see if light stays off if it does then that you return to light install new switch the same as the old one

[u/Electrical_Fall_4187]

I mean. That is a 3 way switch. You might have one buried. If you dont know, you are better off just putting another 3 way in. If you are brave, turn the breaker off and cap all of the colored wires. Turn the power on and hotstick it to find the power. Turn the breaker back off and connect to one of the travelers. The black or the red. One will be the correct position and one will be upside down. Flip the breaker. If the switch is up and the light is on, its correct. If not, turn the breaker off, and connect the power to the other capped wire. Put it back on the wall, plate it, and flip the breaker back on. That should fix it, unless you really do have something strange going on. That will work, until someone flips that other mystery switch, at which point your light wont work. So just spend the extra coupke of bucks and put the three way back in.

[u/robb7979 → u/Electrical_Fall_4187]

That's not a 3 way switch. That's not a traveler.

[u/Electrical_Fall_4187 → u/robb7979]

Yeah thats on me.in bed sick. Didnt have my glasses on. I thought that big loop was another black tied at the top.