How To Add Lighting To An Existing Wall Switch

Choose the fixture first.

How to add lighting to an existing wall switch.

The switch will pass the electricity from the panel to a light. Wiring diagram for a new switch and light. This 3 wire switch loop satisfies the nec requirement of a neutral in the switch box. Adding a wall switch to a ceiling fixture can be done in a matter of hours.

The source for this circuit is at an already existing light fixture and a 3 wire switch loop run from there to the switch box. How to tap into an existing wall switch. If the wall is heavily insulated push conduit through the insulation and then feed wires or cable through the conduit. You can wire the new wall light fixture into the existing light and have a single switch control both lights.

Hook up the outlet as you normally would. In this diagram a new switch and light are added to an already existing light switch. These diagrams show a typical lighting circuit arrangement with most of the. Finally complete a simple calculation to see if the existing switch box is large enough to accept more wires.

The biggest challenge is planning the cable route and running it from the fixture to the new wall switch position. Electrical switches typically have 110 volt power connected directly from the circuit panel. You then splice all the white wires and all the ground wires in the switch box together. Examples include adding lighting underneath kitchen wall cabinets where the existing switch will be at the exact height of the new lighting or installing an outside light by routing the cable directly through the back of an existing switch box to the outside.