Step 1.5 - Choosing the right cable and breaker To this total, you can finally add an additional two feet (600 mm) minimum for every cable joining two junction boxes to provide about 8-10 inches (200-250 mm) of slack at each box to make the connections of each fixture and switches in that circuit. You will also have to measure and add to it the distances between each subsequent light fixture in every branch. Understanding this, you can now measure the length of cable needed to join the switch box to the appropriate fixture. This will add another set of wires into that junction box, where the connections will be as described previously EXCEPT for the Black from the panel and the White from the switch which will be singled out and pigtailed together while making sure that black electrical tape is wrapped around the white wire from the switch to indicate that the wire is in effect another Live line and not Neutral. If the shortest distance or some other complication causes you to feed the cable from the electric panel to one of the fixtures instead of the switch, it will make the wiring connections slightly more complicated and hazardous but possible, providing that both the power cable and the switch cable are routed to the same junction box. B) With the Live Cable Feeding Directly from the Electric Panel If the cable from the switch needs to be fed to one of the intermediate fixture’s junction boxes because of its proximity, but where two cables are already inserted, one coming from one end of the circuit, the other from the other end, along with the 3 rd set of wires from the fixture itself, making the cable from the switch provide the 4 th set of wires inside that box, it will make it a bit more crowded but the wiring is still done as described above with every matching wire connected together. If the shortest distance brings the switch cable to the fixture at one end of the circuit, the cable from the switch will simply be inserted into its electrical box and hooked up to the fixture itself but also to the line leading (or feeding) the next fixture in the circuit-making sure all the white wires are connected together, all the black wires are together, and the Gnd and green wires pigtailed together and connected to the ground in the junction box (Fig.2). So this is where you figure out the most effective way to inter-connect all the fixtures together and to a power source or activation switch.įigure 2 shows how the power is fed from the electric panel to the timer/switch, then to a junction box conveniently added to split the feed to multiple branches of that particular circuit and laid out in different directions.Ī) With the 120 Volts Source Coming from the Switch You can marginally reduce the overall cost of the project by avoiding ill-conceived runs if you carefully plan your work beforehand. You will then decide where the switching needs to originate from-are you going to u se an already existing switch or, if it’s to be a new install, how much wire will you need to reach the electric panel and how much more to reach the closest light fixture of the new circuit.
Multiple recessed lights 3 way switch install#
Knowing the rating and the number of fixtures you plan to install will let you determine the combined maximum power of all the fixtures so that a properly sized breaker and wiring can be decided upon-as halogen and incandescent lights consume much more power than LED lights and can let you downsize from 20 amps to a 15 amps circuit. Shop around and decide on the type of fixtures you want. Using painter’s tape to temporarily mark the location of each fixture will give you the opportunity to shift some of them while selecting the proper spots, without leaving any unnecessary markings on the ceiling.
Whatever the objective when you install a “string” of lights overhead, the very first step is to determine which areas are to be illuminated by that specific circuit and how many fixtures will be required with their ideal locations to ensure proper illumination coverage.
1 - Planning the Layout Step 1.1 - Pick Locations
Multiple recessed lights 3 way switch professional#
Don't try it unless you have professional skills. Safety Note: Electrical work is dangerous.
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