When it comes to electrical safety, knowing how to wire a light switch or receptacle is only part of doing responsible DIY electrical work. Grab some tape and a magic marker, and take 20 minutes ...

The hot black wire from the power source travels through the switch, and from there, to the light. Flipping the switch interrupts the flow of electricity to the light, turning it off and on.

Step 1: Install a box for the new electrical switch and run a red, a white, a green and a black 12- or 14-gauge wire from the existing outlet to the new switch box. Strip the ends of the new wires.

My house was built in the 50s, with wiring from that time period. I'm trying to understand how to connect a modern switch up in the place of an existing old one and it just isn't making sense to ...

5. Connect your outlet Strip the ends of your wires clean to about ¾ on an inch and attach the black wire that goes to the light switch and a black jumper wire to the power source with a wire nut ...

Adding an electrical outlet next to an existing light switch is easy, as long as there is a neutral wire in the box.Step 1: Turn the power supply off to the light switch at the main electrical panel.

Below, Donnelly tells AD how to wire a light switch with this simple step-by-step process for a single-pole light switch without zapping yourself along the way. To make the task easier, Character ...