Would some of you kind fellers please tell me how I change these type switches out? I will have the power turned off of course. Also, no one will hold anyone responsible for my accidental electrocution. Thank you.
A Little Electrical (House) Help Please....
- Thread starter RustyRatRod
- Start date
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My guess is those gray covers come off.
Looks like there's instructions on them.
I've never seen those.
Let's see what's under there.
Should be either screws, or push ins with release holes or something similar.
Looks like there's instructions on them.
I've never seen those.
Let's see what's under there.
Should be either screws, or push ins with release holes or something similar.
Freezerman
Well-Known Member
Those are a self contained light switch designed to be used without an electric box in the wall. I can see from your picture there isn't one in the wall. Typically used in manufactured homes because they have 3" studs instead of 4". I think if you squeeze ends or pry with a screwdriver the gray cover comes off. Google self contained rocker switch.
marksmopars
Well-Known Member
I would suggest that you get a new electrical box for the installation, probably one for use in an existing wall, then liberate the wiring and pull into the new box before you install it. Then you can install normal type switches, understanding that you switch the hots and tie the neutrals. It looks Like you might have two circuits here so I would keep them separate, fyi. Good luck
'round here we have "Mobile Home Depot".
Seriously.
...and I think that was here before we got a "Home Depot".
However, the first time I went there, I was shocked that parts for "manufactured housing" are more often than not, more expensive than and not interchangeable with parts for "regular homes".
Seriously.
...and I think that was here before we got a "Home Depot".
However, the first time I went there, I was shocked that parts for "manufactured housing" are more often than not, more expensive than and not interchangeable with parts for "regular homes".
Yeah. Mr. Sinister Frank was looking at this thread and called me and walked me through it. I got one of the covers off. They are some cheapass bullshit though. Maybe I can find some better ones. The GFCI receptacle about a foot away is the conventional screw type. I have to replace it too, as it's shorted. Every time I plug something in it, it trips the breaker on it. I gotta replace both those switches though, as they work when they want to.
Back when I was an electrician's apprentice, we were taught never to use "a device" to pass the circuit.
IE, lots of residential wiring uses the receptacles as connectors- they screw/clip the wires from the panel to one set of terminals, and screw/clip the wires for the next recep in line to the second set of terminals.
With that set up, if one recep fails, it's "real fun" to figure out why the down circuit stuff doesn't work, and where the problem is.
We were taught "wire nut and pigtail out", to each of the receps from the main circuit wiring.
I got the cover off.
mopowers
Well-Known Member
Is there enough room in the wall for a proper "old work" box?
There's enough room, but nothing to anchor it to.
That sounds good......whatever it means. LMAO
mopowers
Well-Known Member
If you get an "old work box" they have toggles that grip the sheetrock when you tighten the screws on them. That's how they're meant to be anchored. I think the self-contained switches are like that too.
Let me think, ahhh.... they do have a shallow plastic box that has spin out ears on the sides that grab the inside of your wall board/sheet rock Rusty, let me find one and fet you a picture, any lumber yard like Lowe's, Home depot will have them.. be right back..that way you can put regular style switches and receptacle in
OneOfMany
Well-Known Member
I think he is in your case referring to the way the switch connects not only the black, but the white neutral and Copper ground.
On your new switch you will simply connect the two black wires to the switch. The white neutrals will be maretted, and the ground twisted together.
Good practice on outlets is to run a pigtail wire for each to the outlet device. This allows the outlet to be removed without disrupting of the circuit downstream.
Our Canadian code requires the bare Copper ground wire to be connected (screwed) to the fixture box where it enters (from the panel side), then all grounds can connect to the wire projecting past the screw. This ensures the ground remains operational even if the device is removed.
I can't use that though, because they are supposed to be covered in the back. So I have to use the same kinda switch. Also, there is this bullshitty piece that connects both switches together. What kinda crap is this?
Yeah the switches I took out are like that. Real crappy if you ask me.
It is. One is for the bathroom light and the other for the fart fan.
Yeah I don't think so. lol
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