We are replacing a light that had a pull string on/off with a florescent fixture that we have put a toggle switch on. Question is… How to wire it? The toggle switch has 2 black wires and the wires that are coming in with the power for the light are black and white. We also will be using a pig tail because the toggle switch wire is short. The toggle switch is an off/on, not an on/off/on. This is going in a lower level of the home in West TN.
Wiring – How to wire a 2 way toggle switch to a flourescent fixture
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Related Solutions
The easiest-to-install solution to your issues is a length of 14/3 run in surface raceway and used as a switch loop. You'll want a circular raceway box at the light fixture, and a single gang raceway box at the switch, by the way.
(Also note that the non-metallic raceway recommended by dfife's answer won't work here -- Legrand, for some reason, doesn't make round extension boxes for their non-metallic raceways, just for their metal ones.)
Diagram (originally appropriated for this Stack by Tester101 and reused here):
Warning: You'll be working with live electrical wires during this procedure. If you don't feel comfortable doing so, please contact a local licensed Electrician.
- Set up your multimeter (or voltmeter) to measure volts AC.
- Very carefully remove the caps from the white wires, making sure the wires do not come into contact with anything.
- Turn the switch to the ON position.
- Touch one probe from the meter to the bare grounding conductors.
- Touch the other probe to the exposed end of one of the "white" wires.
- Touch the probe to the other "white" wire.
You should have measured 0 volts to one "white" wire, and line voltage (~120 volts) to the other. Using a bit of black tape, or a black marker. Mark the "white" wire that measured line voltage to ground.
- Turn the breaker off, and verify power to the circuit is off.
- Connect the white fixture wire to the unmarked "white" wire from the ceiling.
- Connect the black fixture wire to the marked "white" wire from the ceiling.
Warning: You'll be working with live electrical wires during this procedure. If you don't feel comfortable doing so, please contact a local licensed Electrician.
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Best Answer
The white wire (neutral) coming in should be directly connected to the white wire on the lamp.
The black wire coming in is the hot line. The toggle switch is used to either break or connect the hot line. The black wire coming in to the lamp should be connected to one of the black wires of the switch. The other black wire from the switch should be connected to the black wire for the lamp. It does not matter which black switch wire goes to the hot (incoming line) or the fixture black.
While this arrangement will work, it does not comply with current code, which also requires a white wire (neutral) at the switch. Some switches, other than simple toggles, may need a neutral connection and the code tries to ensure that the wiring is available.
Depending on local code, if there is an inspection, you may or may not pass. The neutral has nothing to do with safety, only obsolescence.
Additionally, in a fairly modern, well wired system, there should be ground wires (geen or bare) at all fixtures and switches. If so, connect these as well to each switch and fixture.