I want to replace a single pole wall switch that contols a closet light with a single pole pilot light switch. The pilot light is supposed to light when the closet light is on. The current wall switch is outside the closet. I looked in the switch box and there are two wires (ablack and a white) and a bare copper ground that are connected to the existing switch. The black and white wires are connected to two screws on the right side of the single pole switch. The new Leviton pilot light switch has a brass screw (top right), a black screw (bottom right), a silver screw (top left), and a green ground screw (bottom left). I know where the ground wire is connected. Question: How do I connect the black and white romex wires to the new pilot light switch so that the pilot is 'ON" when the switch is "ON"? There must be something simple that I am overlooking, but I can't figure this out. Help!
Electrical – Installing a Pilot Light Electrical Switch
electrical
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So, after some further fooling, I rewired it again as I did the first time (with a pigtail going from the neutrals to the silver terminal), the hot line in going to the top right black terminal, and the load going to the bottom right brass terminal. I turned on the breaker and again, the pilot light is on 100% of the time, whether the switch is in the on or off position. So, I then swapped the hot line in, and the hot load out, and turned back on the breaker, and it now works properly. So, it looks like the directions are SORT OF correct, but Leviton put the line in where the load out should be, and vice versa. Basically what they say should be connected to the black screw should be on brass, and brass should be on black (still a DIYer, I never know the proper names for these things). I hope this helps someone else who buys this same switch.
It sounds like the old switches were hooked up using the bare copper grounding conductor as a grounded (neutral) conductor. This is NOT the proper way to wire this switch. To wire the new switches properly, you'll have to install an additional wire between the switch and the load.
It sounds like you have a situation like this...
But what you need, is something like this...
About the Device
The device you're trying to install has 5 screw terminals. On one side it has 2 COMMON terminals, which are likely either black or brass in color. This side also contains the GROUNDING terminal, which is likely green and located kind of off by itself.
On the other side of the device, there are two screw terminals. The first is the LOAD terminal, and is likely brass in color. The other terminal is the GROUNDED (neutral) terminal, and is probably silver in color.
COMMON
The COMMON terminals are used to supply power to the device. It's typical for only one of the terminals to be connected, but possible that both can be used.
GROUNDING
The GROUNDING terminal is used to connect the device to the equipment grounding system.
LOAD
The LOAD terminal is used to supply power from the switch, to the light or other load that is being controlled by the switch.
GROUNDED
The GROUNDED terminal is used to complete the circuit so the pilot light can be illuminated.
Internally, the switch looks something like this...
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Best Answer
It appears the switch you've purchased requires a neutral and you do not have a neutral wire available at your switch (only the hot and the switched hot). You'll need to either run a line to the switch that includes a neutral, which is now a standard practice, or you need to find a switch that will work without a dedicated neutral. Finding the latter may be difficult as the versions with a dedicated neutral are fairly standard.