Wiring a GFCI Switch and Light
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How do I add a switch to a light that is on a GFCI circuit? Ground Fault Protection for a Light Fixture. © By: Dave Rongey |
Wiring a GFCI Powered Light and Switch
Electrical Question: How do I add a switch to a light that is on a GFCI circuit?
How do I add a light switch to this? I tried the following:
- I have a GFCI, a light switch and a light. My power has a green black and white wire. My light has a green, white and black wire.
- The power black wire connected on the load side of the GFCI. I added another black wire on the bottom outlet same side. I attached this black wire to the top left of the switch.
- I added another black wire from the opposite side of the switch to the black wire for the light.
- I took the white wire from the power and attached it to the top silver screw. From the bottom silver screw I attached it to the white wire of the light.
- I connected the ground wire from the power to the green screw of the box and took the green wire from the light and attached it to another green screw in the box.
This did not work. What did I do wrong?
This electrical wiring question came from Roger in Upland, California.
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question Roger.
Connecting a Light to a GFCI Outlet
Application: How to Connect GFCI Outlet Wiring to a Switch and Light Fixture.
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate. This electrical project is best performed by a Licensed Electrician or Electrical Contractor.
Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools and a Voltage Tester.
Estimated Time: Depends on personal level experience, ability to work with tools and the number of GFI outlets that will be added.
Precaution: Identify the bathroom GFCI outlet circuit, turn it OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the wiring.
Notice: Installing additional GFCI Outlet Wiring should be done according to local and national electrical GFCI Codes with a permit and be inspected.
Ground Fault Protection for a Light Fixture
Using a GFCI outlet is one way to provide ground fault protection for a light fixture when the wire connections are made properly.
- In this application, the GFCI outlet has the power entering the LINE side and extends through the GFCI outlet and is fed out to the circuit from the LOAD side of the GFCI outlet.
- Next, the wiring may extend out to the light switch where only the black power wire is connected through the switch and the white neutral wires are spliced together.
- From the light switch, the circuit wiring may extend to the location of the light fixture where the typical connections are made with the circuit wires and the wires of the light fixture.
- The connections of the ground wire are bonded throughout this circuit and making connections to the GFCI outlet and the light switch and to the light fixture as well as bonding to all the electrical boxes within the circuit.
- Approved circuit components devices must be installed for the specific location as required by code, which would include weather resistant devices, boxes and covers.
More about Wiring a GFCI Outlet
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Listing of electrical codes for grounding with examples of electrical grounding codes for home electrical wiring.
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