Replacing A Light Switch

I am replacing the fan in one of our guest bedrooms and thought it would also be a good time to replace the switch.  Currently there is one switch to turn the fan and light on/off. 



I'd like to put the fan and light on two separate switches.  It appears that 12/3 or 14/3 is already in place (white, black and red/pink wires in switch enclosure w/ bare copper for ground).  I'd also like to make the light dimmable and the fan speed adjustable from these switches.  Could anyone recommend a good switch(es) to accomplish this?
      

When repairing a light switch I came across this wiring in a supposed 3-way setting in my kitchen.  Two Single Pole Double Throw switches controlling a single light fixture. 



Check out the quick and dirty wiring diagram showing the way these are connected.  I believe there should be a 14/3 between the two switches right?



All I see is 14/2 coming in and a 14/2 going across to the other switch, and then a 14/2 going to the light. And why are the neutrals cut and wire capped?  This doesn't make sense to me, but the light does work from both switches.



Any insight will be greatly appreciated.



Cheers!
      

Scratching my head on this. New pole building. For now, I want to use one circuit for the lights. What I'm trying to do, is, at one door, I have a 3 way, switching two flourescent lights. Also in that 4-gang light switch, is run a light over the door on the outside, and a light over the overhead service door, and another light over the door, on the inside. So 1 3way, and three single pole switches. At the back door, the other 3 way for the same two lights, and a light over the door on the outside, and another light over the door on the inside. I have the power from the m/p, going into the light box nearest the M/P. Long story short, instead of how I have it, which operates all the lights, as long as one of the three ways are on. If someone could help me with how it should be. I am using 12-3 from the switches. Using 12-2 from the first light box, to the second. I have a another 12-2 running into each switch box, to supply power for the single pole switches.

Thanks for any/all input.
      

This should be simple but . . .



I am replacing a couple old 3 pole switches with 2 new decorator switches. First switch I rewired exactly like the old one black on black pole, a second black on brass pole on the same side, and red on the pole on the other side.



I rewired the second switch exactly like the old one was too.  White on black pole (I know ) red on the brass pole on the same side, and black on seperate pole on other side.



light will turn on and off from first switch but only off from second and will not turn on from first switch if second is turned off.



so I rewired second switch with balck on black pole, white on top brass pole, and red on seperate pole.  Nothing changed.



Do I need to test which wires are actually connecte to each other in the wall or what?



thanks for your electrical wisdom
      

I have two 3-way switches in my master bath that have never worked properly. The house is very old and has been worked on over the years by many different people with greatly varying levels of skill. I was finally fed up with these switches and tried to fix them. I tried to follow instructions I found online, so with the power off I disconnected all the wires from both switches, then turned the power back on and used my volt-meter to discover which wire was hot. It turned out to the a red wire at switch #1. The other two wires are white and black (and yes, there also is a ground). I connected this hot wire to the darkest screw, connected the white and black to the other two screws and tried to test for continuity at the other switch. I couldn't get a reading on any of the wires at the other end. I tried turning the power back on and testing to see which wire was now hot at the second switch. It was the white wire, so I attached that to the darkest terminal, and attached the red and black to the other two terminals. The switches don't work any better than they did before I started - that is, both switches have to be turned on for the light to come on. What is my problem here? Thank you!
      

I was changing out old switches in an old apartment when I came across this enigma. Switches in the kitchen and hall both operate the hall light. The switch in the kitchen was a regular 3way switch job with a red, a black and a white wire. The switch in the hall had four wires, 2 black and 2 white. I replaced this with a 4way which my husband said was incorrect. In the mean time until we find the correct type of switch (which I'm open to suggestions) we put the old ones back on but must have messed something up because now the kitchen switch only works when the hall one is positioned "down".  I have multiple questions. What is the red wire hooked to? None of the wires in the 4-wire box read 110v so which one is the power coming in from? I'll stop here for now.  Thanks.
      

I have 2 light switches in my entry and need to add a 3rd. So…I removed the old 2-space metal box and will be replacing it with a 3-gang old-work box.



      The issue I’m anticipating having is: The old knob & tube wires coming in aren't very long. As the locations of the openings for the wires in the 3-gang box is a bit different than the old box, I’m worried that the wires now won’t be long enough to now reach the light switches. So, my questions are...



 

   If I need to add 6” or so to some of these wires, is it okay to just splice a new piece of 14-gauge wire onto them?? I simply didn't know if you're allowed to do this.


If so, is this just a matter of using a plastic twist cap to connect them…with everything being done inside the new box?


  Thanks so much for your advice.
      

Hello,



I currently have one light switch which operates an outlet in one of my bedrooms.  I want to add a ceiling fan that has independent switches for the fan and light - but I want to make sure i'm wiring it correctly and safely.



Current (First Pic)- Live hot feeds into bottom of switch (bottom insert hole) and the all of the bedroom outlets (pig-tailed) tie into the bottom of the switch on the screw.  Coming out of the top of the switch is one hot which feeds to a single outlet.  All of the neutral and grounds are tied together.



New Plan (Second Pic)- Remove the constant outlet hot from the screw, add a new hot wire to the top of new switch and run a wire up to the attic for fan.  Add another hot wire from the bottom of that switch to the third switch and run another wire up to the attic for the lights.  Re-connect the constant outlet wire to the screw of the last switch.  Connect all the neutrals and all of the grounds together.



At the top of the ceiling, connect the neutrals and grounds together with the fans neutral and ground.  Connect the fan hot to the fan switch hot, and the fan light hot to the light switch hot.
      

Hello -



I'm attempting to install a new bathroom vent fan / light combo.  I pulled out the old one from the ceiling and am ready to install the new one.  I'm not sure how to wire up the new one.



The wire coming from the 2 Switches/Wall has the following 4 wires:  Black, White, Red, Bare Copper Ground



The wires coming from the Light/Fan Unit a

Light:  Black, White, Red

Fan:  Black, White

Fan/Light Housing:  Green Ground Wire



Any help would be appreciated.



Thanks!
      

Hello Everyone-

   I was hoping that someone would be able to help me connect the dots here as far as how to do the wiring for my new bathroom.   To give you the basics...



There is just one two wire power cable going to the bathroom.

I have one single unit, that has two flip switches on it.

- Switch 1 is to control the light.

- Switch 2 is to control the fan.

Then there is also one outlet, which I want to be always on, and not hooked up to any switch.



Attached is a diagram of the individual components.



Can someone help me connect the dots on how to wire this all up?  Please let me know if you need any more details!