- 1
Switch boxes are mounted directly to the walllight switch image by David Ng from Fotolia.com
Install the switch boxes and fixture junction box. Use a switch box as a template for the wall cut and make the ceiling cut according to the directions provided by the fixture manufacturer. Attach the switch boxes to the drywall. Mount the fixture's junction box on a brace bar hung above the ceiling between two joists. - 2). Cut 1-by-2-inch access holes where the wall and ceiling meet directly above the switches to make running the cable easier.
- 3). Run two-wire electrical cable from the power source receptacle to Switch 1. Remove the baseboards between the receptacle and Switch 1 and cut access holes beneath them to run the cable. Remove the power source outlet from its box and connect the BX cable to the outlet, dropping the cable down to the opening at the bottom of the wall. Run the cable in the space between the bottom of the drywall and the floor and up to the switch. Replace the drywall. As an alternative you can run the cable above the ceiling as described in the next step.
- 4). Run the three-wire electrical cable from each switch to the ceiling junction box. Feed fish tape through the access hole and across the ceiling to the junction box. Attach the wires to the fish tape and pull it back across the ceiling toward you and drop the wire behind the wall to the switch. Mark the white wire from Switch 2 with a piece of electrical tape on both ends. This indicates that it is carrying electrical current.
- 5). Make the connections at the fixture. Connect all ground wires (green or bare copper) and ground the circuit to the junction box. Connect the red wires together. Connect the marked white wire from Switch 2 with the black wire coming from Switch 1. A black and white wire remain to be connected to the fixture.
- 6). Make the connections at the switches. At Switch 1, connect the ground wires together and ground to the box. Connect the white wires together. Connect the black wire from the power source to the terminal on the switch marked "common." Connect the remaining black and red wires to the other terminals. At Switch 2 connect the black wire to the common terminal and the marked white and red wires to the remaining terminals.
- 7). Connect the fixture to the wires at the junction box and attach the fixture to the junction box according to the manufacturer's instructions.
SHARE
