Old push switch to a new flip switch

by **Shaggyind** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:08 am

I an attempting to replace some ols light switches in my house. The old ones have 3 screws and 4 wires. The end screws have an arrow and one end has a 3 and the other end has an arrow and a 2. The center screw and 2 wires and is not labeled. All the wires rinning to the existing switch are white. How would they connect to a 3 screw new switch?

Thanks for the help.

by **kbrownie** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:56 pm

Do you live in the uk?

by **moggy1968** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:27 pm

what colour 'wires' go to what

by **Shaggyind** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:44 pm

[quote="moggy1968"]what colour 'wires' go to what[/quote]

They are all white wires

by **Shaggyind** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:45 pm

[quote="kbrownie"]Do you live in the uk?[/quote]

No. Wisconsin. House is about 90 years old

by **kbrownie** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:57 am

The core colours of electrical installation are different to that of the UK.
In the uk the colours are as follows
Brown=line (usa hot)
Blue= neutral (neutral)
Green/Yellow or bare= earth (ground)
I understand that a switch in the USA should have a white, black and bare cores.
So we need to indentify the cables first, can you inform us which ones are hot, neutral and ground.
and do you also know what he terminals on the switch plate are used for/
In the UK we have COM or L which or line conductor would go to and the earth would go to earth terminal and the spare to L1 or L2
So we really need to know what your version of these terminals are.
But maybe best using a USA based diy website try google electrical-online maybe more informative. Don't want hurting yourself.
KB

by **steve the plumber** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:41 pm

Sounds like you need a re-wire!