How do you wire for a second light in the bathroom?

Question

Two switches in the bathroom,1 for the fan,the other for the light above the bath sink.How do I go about wiring for a second light above the shower to be tied to the same light switch?

Answer 1

well...all you have to do is run a 14-2 gauge wire from the existing light to the new one and splice color to color. or if it easier to go from the switch, go that route. splice the wire from the new light--white to the other whites, ground to the other grounds, and the black to the switch, check with a tester which side of the switch is not live when the switch is off, and put the black wire there. this is all in lay mans terms but i am trying to make things easy to understad. bear in mind that you should turn off power and some drywall damage may be needed.

Answer 2

Be careful because there are codes about how close to a shower that you can put a light. In this case an electrician is your best bet. You cannot put a light directly over a shower stall.if you do and try and sell your home then the pre sale inspection will catch this and you may have to move it again. if you want to do it yourself than find out what the NEC code requirments are for installing a light in a shower area and then you can wire in the new light. i would use a 12/2 wire but 14/2 would work. Depending on how close you are to the other light you may be able to run the wire throught the ceiling to the other light. If there is an attic or crwl space above then that is the easiest especially if the ceiling joices are running against the way the wire needs to go. if that is the case then a long bit would need to be used in order to drill through the joices to get to the other light or to the switch which ever is the closest. after the wire is run then splice the green to green,white or grey to each other and color to color.

Answer 3

It is possible that you're dealing with either a 15 or 20 amp circuit. If the light is on a 20 amp circuit you'll need to use a 12 awg cable (you'll probably use 2 wire romex). If it is a 15 amp circuit you'll need to use at least a 14 awg. Just to be on the safe side, I would just use a 12 awg cable in this case.

First cut a hole for your new box or recessed fixture. Using a cut-in box is the easiest thing to use for existing installations, but don't install the box yet.

The hard part is fishing the cable through to the new hole. You may need to climb into an attic. If there is no attic above the shower you can use a tool called an Installers drill bit, so you can drill through studs without tearing out drywall. They're kind of expensive (http://www.nextag.com/512879635p/prices-html). Otherwise, you can just tear down some drywall. You get the picture.

Then, fish the wire through. The installers bit kit I mentioned allows you to use the bit itself to pull the wire through the holes you just drilled.

The wiring is the easy part. Pull the wire into the new box and install the box. Now hook it all up in parallel from your other light. Just match the colors in the existing box, and hook up to the new light.

Then. you need to strap the cable within 12 inches of the each box, only if it is accessible, and every 4.5 feet in between to keep it up to code.

Answer 4

The best way is to get into the attic and remove the existing wire from the existing light and put it into a junction box. Then run a new wire to your old light and one to the new light. Connect black to black, white to white, and the green/bare to green/bare. The bare or green wires also need to be connected to any green screws on the light fixtures or boxes. The most important thing is that if you are going to put a light over the shower it needs to be able to handle the moisture and be connected to a GFCI plug or breaker to prevent electrocution.

Answer 5

There are some safety issues involved. (You could easily get electrocuted if you don't know what you're doing and don't keep safety first.)

Quite simply tho, you would connect one side of the light bulb already in place with one side of the new light bulb fixture; and you would connect the other side of the bulb already in place with the new light bulb fixture's remaining connection. You are extending the in-place-bulb contacts (2), using a 2 wire cable to the 2 new-bulb contacts (also 2). That essentially puts the new bulb and old bulb in parallel, so that the single switch works for both.

Answer 6

I had a guy come into my house to do some work. He cut 3 switches out of a box, and left the wires, he was unable to put it backt together so I found a site where you ask real electritians how to do it and they walk you through it step by step. I even fixed my boiler using these guys. Here's the link to the electritian page. Click on a name and ask your question. If they are "maxed out" that means you'll have to ask someone else or wait until later and try again. Excellent site!

Answer 7

I'd use 14-2 wire, Connect to the light over sink, White to White and Black to Black grd to grnd. The run wire up and over ceiling in attic, back down thru ceiling in shower and hook light up,

Answer 8

somewhat, extra suitable call a 'professional'. Any easy close to a sink would desire to be fed from a GFI for the reason which you're probably to be the two moist and level-headed there in some unspecified time interior the destiny. that's no place for an beginner lash-up.

Answer 9

I call an electrician