Removed one end of a three way light and indtalled plug. Tied red and black at plug and it works. When I turn light sw on, plug goes dead?

SOURCE: Downstairs toilet light switch needs rewiring

Yes, run a black wire from connector (a) to one terminal of your new light fitting if you are installing a metal fitting you will need to connect an earth wire also.

If you are reusing the same pull switch and it is still connected as you describe then the floating end near the light is probably the switched live conductor, so you could connect this to the live terminal of the new light. but be careful it may be live.

Caution always disconnect the power before working on electrical wiring.

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SOURCE: I am trying to replace a rotary canopy switch in a

This is a very strange arrangement, your switch

BTW, my pleasure ... I am a volunteer poster here - not an employee. I'm at home ... watching Dancing with the Stars - I do this for the 'bragging rights'. I'm not perfect but pretty darn good for a High School shuv-out!

You may be able to find a "Off - On (1) - ON (2) - Off" kind of switch ... I'm racking my little brain from when I worked as a (50 year+old) stock boy at the Ace hardware/Auto supply, row 3 - electrical - to see if I remember seeing that switch. I'm pretty sure there is such a thing.

Your arrangement is very strange. Take your switch to the hardware and spend some time exploring. And forget the big box store for now ... look at your little hardware store first. I think they will most likely be able to find you a replacement or the switch I described above.

Thanks for using Fixya.com and I hope I have helped you with your question.

a

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SOURCE: My girlfriend has a leviton illumatech IP106 that

As a general rule for timers and dimmers:

The Black dimmer wire connects to black hot wire coming from breaker (122V line)
The red dimmer wire connects to Load (wire going to chandelier)

The wall red wire that is capped could be a couple different things. a) It could go to a second switch that was used to control the chandelier. b) it could be another wire that goes to same ceiling box as chandelier to be used to control a fan, except you don't have a fan. In the second case, if you install a fan with a light, you could control fan and light separately.

The green is a ground wire that connects to bare copper wire in box. The bare copper connect back to main breaker box on the Neutral busbar.
White wires that are twisted together inside your light switch box also connect back to to main breaker box on the Neutral busbar.
The ground wire and neutral are a redundant safety system to protect you from electrical devices and appliances that have 'shorted'
The black hot wire connects back to the circuit breaker.

For example, each circuit breaker controls one area of household lighting. The black white and copper wires leave breaker box in a single romex cable. The romex travels to a junction box in the area where the lights are located. The junction box is usually a switch box or a ceiling box. From the junction box, the romex travels to each other switch, light and receptacle box in the area. So each box has 1 hot and 1 neutral and 1 ground that is connected in a line that leads back to breaker box.

Here's a couple pages that make home wiring easier to understand:
http://waterheatertimer.org/See-inside-main-breaker-box.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/240-v-water-heater-circuit.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/Install-owb.html

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SOURCE: I am replacing an existing

Hi,
White wires under the silver screw...
The black wire under the black screw...
and the red wire under the brass screw...

If it does not work right then switch the red and black wires...

heatman101

SOURCE: I have the same problem

You have 120volt photocell.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-Cooper-277-pilot-light-switch.html#photo-eye

Wiring sounds correct.
Lights are on all the time, even in daylight.
How is the power by-passing the photocell shut-off?
Disconnect ground wire to make sure there is not a ground fault causing circuit to complete on ground wire.
Otherwise the photocell might be bad.