Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [light]

595 questions
38
votes
5 answers

If a light bulb is dead, does it still consume electricity if the switch is in ON?

It's been a week since a light bulb in the bathroom died. I'm wondering if the bulb is dead, does it still consume electricity if the switch is in ON? The light is completely dead, no light whatsoever.
user3108698
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16
votes
6 answers

Old ceiling light fixture with 9 wires (5 black/4 white)-how to install a new fixture?

I am trying to install a new light fixture, but there are 9 wires--I wasn't able to see how it was connected and I'm pretty sure it was wrong to begin with because bulbs kept burning out right away. Initially the whites were together, 3 of the black…
Rachel H
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11
votes
5 answers

Can 2 light bulbs of 120V in series be used on 230V AC?

I'm considering to buy full spectrum incandescent bulbs in the US, to be used here in Europe. Here these types of bulbs are rare, since it's mostly LED these days. First I thought I needed to step down the voltage, for instance with a travel…
Rolf W.
9
votes
3 answers

Why would the light be on when the switch is off?

I've found a lot of answers to this question after replacing a light switch but this has happened without any work done to the light. I have a living room light that is connected to a standard light switch on the wall. No dimmers or anything fancy.…
Zombian
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9
votes
3 answers

Can I use a regular E26 LED bulb as a replacement for a refrigerator light bulb?

The light bulb in my refrigerator burned out. It was a 40w incandescent appliance bulb like such: I'm wondering if there is any reason I can not put a 9watt A19 LED bulb such as this one (home depot link) in the fridge? I've read this question,…
David
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7
votes
2 answers

Strange fan/light switch wiring - what in the world am I looking at

I feel as though I have a pretty good handle on wiring strategies - well, I did until I came across this today. What in the world am I looking at?? To provide some context, this dual gang switch supports a fan with light kit and it is a part of a…
Howard Dierking
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7
votes
4 answers

Can 12 gauge wire be inserted into 14 gauge switch connector sockets?

Is it safe for a 12 gauge wire to be inserted into the 14 gauge slot on a light switch? I moved recently and was changing some light switches and noticed that several of the lights are wired this way. Am I going to have to swap out all of these…
user130979
7
votes
4 answers

Odd wiring setup in light switch

Hoping for some help after trying to get this setup to work. I’ve purchased a smart switch that requires two load wires, one neutral wire, and one ground wire. When I took out my existing light switch I found it having the two load wires but also…
Anil Vaitla
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6
votes
2 answers

Why is a white electrical wire connected to 2 black wires?

I just opened my ceiling light to replace it with another mount. I see a white wire connected to 2 black wires, is that right? The middle switch controls this ceiling light.
konyak
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6
votes
6 answers

Bathroom Light Fixture with no stud or box

I uninstalled my old bathroom light fixture to replace it with a nicer light but found that there is no stud and no wall box behind the sheet rock. The old light fixture is very light but the new one is not. Is it safe to attach the new light…
Martha
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5
votes
2 answers

Lightswitch Feels Loose

I noticed last week that our light switch was stiff when turning off the lights. This evening, it's not stiff anymore and requires little effort to turn it on or off. I was also able to move the switch around a bit from side to side, seems to me…
Him_Jalpert
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5
votes
2 answers

Can I change which switch controls which light?

Why are light switches so often wired in the wrong order. For example, on a single board, the switch closest to the hallway is for the lounge while the switch closest to the lounge turns on the hallway light. Is this less likely to happen in luxury…
Autumn
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5
votes
7 answers

I want light controlled by one switch, not two

I have two switches that control one light. I would like to close one of the switches, so that the light is only turned on and off by one of them. I removed the light switch from one of them (pictured), but now the other light switch won't turn on…
Jonas
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4
votes
3 answers

How should I install rope lights across a stair?

I'm using rope lights to illuminate a wooden walkway (a catwalk with railings, actually). I've put a string alongside each edge (at the bottom). Midway along the catwalk, there is single step about 6" high. I want to illuminate it for safety, and…
RustyShackleford
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4
votes
5 answers

Is light flickering only on camera bad?

I have installed lights in my house. The lights don't appear to flicker to the naked eye. However, when I view them through the video camera on my iPhone, the lights appear to flicker at a very high rate. Is this bad for my health? Are the lights…
Eyal Cohen
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