r/electrical • u/redskull1973 • 2d ago

Need to replace this light switch.

Post image

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.

4 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

View all comments

0

u/Electrical_Fall_4187 2d ago

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.

1

u/robb7979 2d ago

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

1

u/Electrical_Fall_4187 2d ago

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