Q. I want to install an electrical outlet on a wall that doesn't have any other outlets. There is a wall light directly above the place where I need the outlet so I want to use that junction for the power source. I do not want the wall light's switch to control the outlet. How do I wire this?
A. Depends on how the light is wired. If it's got only a black and a white wire, the only thing you can do is have the switch control the whole circuit. With only two wires, the black wire is made/broken at the switch, so the only way to get a circuit is to have the switch on.
If you have two black and two white, you're OK. One B/W pair will go to the switch and the other B/W pair provides the power. If you have this, notice that one pair is wired across the black of the other pair. That is, a black wire coming in ties to another wire going out without going to the light. The companion wire of the one going to the switch should be wired to the light. That's your switch leg, and it is made /broken at the switch. The white wire of the leg in should be on the other pole of the light. You want to take your new wire and add the black to the connection on the black coming in. You'll now have three wires there - hot in, hot out to switch, hot to your new outlet. Take your white from your new run, undo the white of the leg in at the light. Connect those two and add a white pigtail. Wire the pigtail to the light.
Be sure all circuits are off, and if you're not sure which wire is which, use an ohmeter to test. Be sure all grounds are connected in each box. Check out what will be on the circuits and make sure you don't overload them, and also that your boxes are rated for the amperage/wires you'll be using.
If you have two black and two white, you're OK. One B/W pair will go to the switch and the other B/W pair provides the power. If you have this, notice that one pair is wired across the black of the other pair. That is, a black wire coming in ties to another wire going out without going to the light. The companion wire of the one going to the switch should be wired to the light. That's your switch leg, and it is made /broken at the switch. The white wire of the leg in should be on the other pole of the light. You want to take your new wire and add the black to the connection on the black coming in. You'll now have three wires there - hot in, hot out to switch, hot to your new outlet. Take your white from your new run, undo the white of the leg in at the light. Connect those two and add a white pigtail. Wire the pigtail to the light.
Be sure all circuits are off, and if you're not sure which wire is which, use an ohmeter to test. Be sure all grounds are connected in each box. Check out what will be on the circuits and make sure you don't overload them, and also that your boxes are rated for the amperage/wires you'll be using.
How do I stop my wall light bulbs making black marks on the ceiling?
Q. My wall light bulbs make black marks on the plaster coving and ceiling in my room. I understand you used to be able to buy little press on metal caps to stop this.
Does anybody know if these are still available and where I can get these from or any other tip to help
Any help would be very much appreciated
Unfortunately I am only using 25 watt bulbs now to help this so really can't go much lower but thanks for this idea
Does anybody know if these are still available and where I can get these from or any other tip to help
Any help would be very much appreciated
Unfortunately I am only using 25 watt bulbs now to help this so really can't go much lower but thanks for this idea
A. Use lower watt bulbs. The heat is causing the marks.
How do you make the wires safe before you put a blanking plate on when you remove wall lights.?
Q. We want to remove 2 wall lights, but we do not want to permanently remove the wires, so we will use blanking plates, but are not sure how you make the wires safe first. Does anyone have suggestions please?
A. You don't say where you are. If you are in the UK you will need to use connector blocks (min 5amp rating) as we stopped using screw on type connections, such as wire nuts /midgets, many years ago. Connector blocks are widely available from diy shops.
Don't rely on turning the wall switch off to make the cables dead as there may still be live cables present. It is probably simpler for you to turn off the main switch (Usually the biggest switch at your fuseboard) After making sure that the cables are definitely dead, put the cables into your connector in exactly the same order as they were connected in the fitting. ie if a black and red cable were connected together in the fitting they must be connected together when you reconnect them. Many people make the mistake of not noting how it came apart. Put all your earth cables together and after gently tugging at all the cables to make sure it doesn't fall apart tape the connectors up before pushing back into the wall and covering with your blank plate.
You may be lucky and find that on removing the old lights you have existing connectors you can retain. In which case visually check there are no loose strands of copper after disconnecting the light and simply tape the connectors up.
If in any doubt of how to make it safe don't attempt it yourself, get someone in. Electricity kills.
Don't rely on turning the wall switch off to make the cables dead as there may still be live cables present. It is probably simpler for you to turn off the main switch (Usually the biggest switch at your fuseboard) After making sure that the cables are definitely dead, put the cables into your connector in exactly the same order as they were connected in the fitting. ie if a black and red cable were connected together in the fitting they must be connected together when you reconnect them. Many people make the mistake of not noting how it came apart. Put all your earth cables together and after gently tugging at all the cables to make sure it doesn't fall apart tape the connectors up before pushing back into the wall and covering with your blank plate.
You may be lucky and find that on removing the old lights you have existing connectors you can retain. In which case visually check there are no loose strands of copper after disconnecting the light and simply tape the connectors up.
If in any doubt of how to make it safe don't attempt it yourself, get someone in. Electricity kills.
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