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Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz power supply service.The white wires are the neutral wires.

One of the black wires is the "feed" hot wire coming from the circuit's breaker on the incoming power panel.

The other black wire is the "switched" hot wire going to the load. (The light or whatever appliance the switch is controlling.)

If you don't know how to tell which black wire is which, the hot is usually the wire connected to the top screw on the switch. In Canada, there is a rule that all hot wires are to be connected to the top of switching devices.

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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

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Q: How do you determine which wire is hot at a switch that has the white wires connected to each other and two black wires from different romex going to the switch?
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Is it possible to wire a dimmer switch off another dimmer switch for a completeley different light?

No, the dimmer switch needs its own individual circuit power supply to feed the fixtures connected to it. The black of the second dimmer switch can not be connected to the red wire of the first dimmer switch. Now if you are talking about using a common "hot" to feed two dimmer switches then this can be done. The neutrals will be common also. So what you should have is two black wires connected together with the incoming "hot". Two neutrals connected together with the incoming white. The red from each dimmer is then connected to its own individual fixture load.


I have Two black wires and one red wire conected to a switch. Which is hot and which is neutral?

It sounds like your switch is a three way switch. The wire that is on the different colour screw of the three screws will either be the "hot" wire or the wire to the load. The neutral might or might not be in the box that the switch is in depending on which end of the three way system you are at. See discuss question button below.No wires connected to a switch are neutral. A switch breaks the circuit of the hot wire. Black AND red are hot wires. White is used for neutral and is almost never connected to a switch.


When wiring a wall switch which color wire goes on the common terminal screws?

A typical switch doesn't have a Common screw in the strictest sense, it just has two screws which are each side of the switch. You probably have a a 3-way switch. If you are hooking up a 3-way switch as a normal switch, then connect the Black (Hot) wire to the common and the load to the side of the switch that makes UP the on direction and DOWN is off and doesn't get connected. You can determine for sure if you have a 3-way switch because the word ON and OFF don't appear on the toggle.


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It depends on what the wires are connected to and where the power supply is located. If the switch is lighted power has to get to the switch for the light. With a lighted switch you have a hot supply side, a neutral and then the wire going to the bell. So if Black 1 and Red 1 are supply voltage you would connect Red 1 to the hot side of switch, Black 1 would go to common as would Black 2. Red 2 would go to Bell side of the switch.

Related questions

Is it possible to wire a dimmer switch off another dimmer switch for a completeley different light?

No, the dimmer switch needs its own individual circuit power supply to feed the fixtures connected to it. The black of the second dimmer switch can not be connected to the red wire of the first dimmer switch. Now if you are talking about using a common "hot" to feed two dimmer switches then this can be done. The neutrals will be common also. So what you should have is two black wires connected together with the incoming "hot". Two neutrals connected together with the incoming white. The red from each dimmer is then connected to its own individual fixture load.


I have Two black wires and one red wire conected to a switch. Which is hot and which is neutral?

It sounds like your switch is a three way switch. The wire that is on the different colour screw of the three screws will either be the "hot" wire or the wire to the load. The neutral might or might not be in the box that the switch is in depending on which end of the three way system you are at. See discuss question button below.No wires connected to a switch are neutral. A switch breaks the circuit of the hot wire. Black AND red are hot wires. White is used for neutral and is almost never connected to a switch.


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How do you remove 240 volt light sensor and return to switch operation?

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How do you hook up one light to one switch in a basement lighting system that has all 10 lights connected to one switch?

If you have good access to the wiring this is relatively easy to do. Each of the 10 lights is connected to another in parallel in a "daisy chain" fashion. Light 1 is connected to the switch, light 2 is connected to light 1, light 3 is connected to light 2 and so forth. Let's say it is light 5 that you wish to switch separately. You can first install the new switch by either adding a new box or modifying old switch box. There are two gang switches that will fit the form factor of a single switch. TURN OFF THE POWER TO SWITCH BOX. Using the same supply input at original switch, add a new black wire to the wire nut for input to original switch and connect this to the input of new switch. Then run a new wire to light 5 and connect black wire to the output of new switch. Connect all the white wires together in switch box and separately connect all bare wires together in switch box. Now at light 5 undo the black and white wire coming from the fixture, and reconnect the wire nuts so that there is a direct connection between light 4 and light 6. Do the same for the ground if present (bare wire). You now have the fixture wires hanging free. Now connect the black wire from new switch to the fixture black wire and white to white and you are done.


Dimmer switch that has one black wire connected to the left side and two black wires connected to the right side of the switch How do you connect these wires if you want to just install a regular flip?

Check the screws next to the wires and see what color they are if they are green, black, and red then do what i say next, if not you're screwd. just connect the red/black/green wires in the holes in the flip switch and be careful not to touch the wires just the protective covering and inert them they should auto lock in there...if not just screw them in.


How do you install a doorbell with four wires both having black and red wires?

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