Someone didn't know what they were doing.
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It could be that the switch box is used as a junction box. This is quite common in house wiring. If it is a three wire that you found this condition on then this is what is going on. If you shut the breaker off when you were working on the circuit, turn the breaker above it and the breaker below it and that should turn off the second hot wire.
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Two live wires to an electrical switch could be present if the switch is part of a circuit that requires two separate sources of power to operate, or if it is part of a three-way or four-way switch setup where multiple switches control the same lighting fixture. It could also be due to improper wiring, which is a safety hazard and should be corrected by a qualified electrician.
A switch on the live wire means, when off, current can't flow past the switch and reach a bulb, for instance. If the switch was on the neutral side, when off, the current would be able to reach the bulb and the bulb holder would be live - chance of a shock!
As a safety precaution.
If the Neutral wire is switched, the rest of the appliance would be 'Hot' or have live voltage on (in?) it.
There has to be more to this question for a good answer. For the most part a light switch has two contacts, with a wire at each one. One live wire and another going to the light itself. There is also a neutral wire return (from the light to the electrical panel). There is only one live wire in any electrical circuit. [Please, don't flame me with examples of multiple electrical sources in circuitry. We're talking about home lighting.] If somehow you shorted the live wire from the switch to the electrical box (ground) or to another wire in the box, it was only momentary and you can just proceed with replacing the switch. It's a good idea to turn off the power first.
The names of common appliance wires include live, neutral, and ground wires. Live wires carry electrical current, neutral wires complete the circuit by returning current to the source, and ground wires provide a path for electricity to safely discharge in case of a fault.
Yes, you can change a single pole switch to a double pole switch for your winch. A double pole switch will have two input wires (live and neutral) and two output wires to control the winch operation. Make sure to follow proper wiring and safety guidelines when making the switch to ensure the correct function.
Two wires are always needed to supply electrical equipment so that the current has a complete circuit to flow in. One of the wires is earthed at the supply transformer, that one is called the neutral, and the other one is the live.
When the main switch of a house circuit is turned off, it disconnects power supply to all the electrical outlets, appliances, and lighting fixtures connected to that circuit. This ensures that no electricity is flowing through the wires and prevents any potential hazards or accidents related to electrical equipment.