There are two terminals in a one way light switch. This site is merely a collection of how some people do home improvements.
Wiring Diagrams Double Gang Box Do It Yourself Help Com
Wiring a single gang light switch. A switch with three wires could be used for a hall light with a switch at each end. And this switch is pretty much right smack dab in the middle of the circuit with two switches before it and a few outlets after it in the circuit. In this first example ill be wiring a one gang junction box that holds one single switch and that switch controls one single pendant light. Wiring a single light switch in the middle of a circuit. A two way light switch can also be used in in place of a one way light switch in this instance the red wire from the feed cable is connected to the common c terminal and the red wire going to the light is connected to the l1 terminal. The other terminal is for a second hot wire called a switch leg that runs only between the switch and the light fixture.
However if you need two switches to control a single lighting circuit such as in the case of at the head and foot of stairs so you can switch the lights on and off in both places you need to understand a 2 way switch. Hey doing it yourself is great but if you are unsure of the advice given or the methods in which to job is done dont do it. Typically these terminals will be marked com and l1 sometimes l1 and l2. There is no way we can anticipate every situation and we do our best to. Add up the wattage of the bulbs in all the fixtures the switch controls to make sure it falls within the switch rating listed on the package or instructions. Standard single pole switches do not connect to neutral circuit wire.
Wiring a single pole light switch. Although technically it doesnt matter which way round you connect the wires it is best to stick to convention and connect the permanemt live from the supply to com and the switched live to the lamp. Buy a single pole switch if one switch controls the lights or a three way if you have two switches controlling the same lights. A 1 gang switch will control a single lighting circuit and with a 2 gang switch you can control two lighting circuits and so on. The ground screw is for the circuit ground wire connection. The switch puts power out to one wire or the other like a valve for water that goes in two directions.
The switch leg brings power to the fixture when the switch is turned on. Its possible that the switch you removed was one of the two that controls the non functioning light. A metal light switch must be earthed as seen below. The l2 terminal is unused. When the switch is on both terminals are connected together.