How to wire a Double Switch 

Thanks for the lesson. I purchased a double switch thinking it would be straightforward. I couldn't get the second switch to work at all until watching this video and realized I needed to change to 14/3 wire. Adding that neutral made my day.

You're like the helpful Dad I never had growing up, as a 33 year old man learning all of these projects and doing them in my house. Thank you very much.

This is simple and completely on the money, this is my first time commenting on an instructional video, but it just helped so much. Just watching this video once makes me feel like a master already!

Thank you for the video, it is exactly what I was looking for.

Perfect explanation. Need to use a double switch for basement lights and outdoor light. This helped, thank you.

Great video. You explained it perfectly. You helped me out, thank you. 👍

Thank you I was trying to figure out how to wire my fan light combo with a 12-2 wire coming from my power source and you just showed me

Fantastic! You have a great teachings ability my friend. You were able to explain this is the most simplest terms while being detailed and thorough. I've watched tons of other videos like this and always walked away more confused! Thank you for this.

thanks man, really easy to follow

Perfectly explain clear and concise I give you a 10/10 score

Perfect explanation of the switch. Thank you so much. Particularly helpful starting at the 3 min mark, where you explain the purpose of the tab if you have only one hot wire, then pointing out the two BRASS screws (as different from the black screws). Other RU-vid videos weren't as good as yours.

Thank you so much. My first time trying to repair anything electrical in my house and this was perfect.

I had replaced a double switch without first taking note of the wire placements beforehand. Duh! So, I sourced this video and learned what I did wrong. Now, the switches are finally working as desired. Thank you!

I was racking my brain for over an hour trying to figure out how to convert my single switch to a double and man did this help. Thank you, being able to see the full picture was so helpful.

Super helpful, thank you sir.

I appreciate the thorough and easy to follow explanations and instructions. I am not sure that I have even encountered a double switch before. This tutorial presents me with a possible solution -- I will have to test it out -- for a pre-existing circuit of two light devices/receptacles controlled by two 3-way switches in a single loop-of-sorts, that I am wishing to split into more independent lights/receptacles & controls.

Outstanding video, short and sweet and easy to understand! Many videos are far too long.

Great video. Instructions are clear, concise and easy to follow. And it worked on first try.

Exact answer to my question. Thank you!

Thanks for the video so helpful

Excellent. Thank you.

Thank you!!!

Another great video! Your approach to explaining is the best I’ve seen so far. Where can I send you a photo or 2 of a scenario like this I found at an AIRBNB basketball court lights? I would like for you to see how he wired it up and what happened next.

Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for the video very helpful, God bless you and your family, JLR.

sir your time is very appreciated, thank you!

Hey I had my kitchen and deck light come on for yrs with the same switch , thanks to you problem solved ! Tyvm 🤙🏼

Great video. Thanks

Thanks man.

great video, it just got me out of a jam!

Awesome 👍 thanks 👍

The video was helpful. The color of the wires in my box led to some confusion. A multi-meter was used. The end result was successful.

Thank you sir!!!!!

Great video, clear and informative Thanks brother!

Oakie Doakie and I really appreciate it. Thanks 👍🏻👍🏻

Thank you

Thank you for the explanation. I have a situation like the second part where I have a hot a red wire and two loads. However, I want to install a WIFI smart that only has a line and two loads. Can I connect the hot to the line, the top load to load # 1 and the red with load # 2 to load # 2 on wifi circuit?

Great videos! Thanks! Question. I’m installing recessed lighting in new construction. The wires are pushed into the connectors…is it important to push the wires back into the metal box on the LED recessed light? Thank you!

Wanting to run a bathroom light and fan to be controlled by the two separate switch's you demonstrate here. The current power supply is a three wire= white/black/ground, thus no red wire. Can I pigtail an additional wire from the hot all the time Black and mark it with red OR locate a section of Red wire to pig tail from the black the follow your instruction as in this video?

Perfect! My issue is that there is a fourth Romex wire coming into the box in the bathroom. (Two are going to the bathroom fan and the light, one is the supply.) I guess it is just placed there to supply power to the hallway light, which is on the same circuit. I will pigtail the 2 black supply wires so that i only need to screw one black wire into the double switch. This was not my original problem, unfortunately. The light bulbs in the vanity light fixture started flickering then shutting off for no apparent reason. I thought it was the switch that was bad when I discovered the extra wire coming from the hall. Thought this would be an easy fix!

@handydadtv Hey Chris...what if the power is coming from the fixture to the switch? I had a single switch that was powering two separate lights, one of the wires came loose in the box and no clue how it was wired. So right now I have a porch light that has a white (hot, labeled with black tape) and a black traveler wire, in addition to another white wire and black wire that run out to a pole light in the yard (no power to either of those wires. How do I wire a double switch under these circumstances?

This is a great video, but I feel that it’s semi important to note that usually there won’t be a red wire in this situation. It makes it easier for demonstration purposes but there’s not gonna be a red wire. Just multiple black and white wires. You’re gonna have the incoming power source and then switch line one and then another switch line two. Basically imagine the red wire was black and it makes no difference. It just makes it easier to show on video if it’s red But usually you’d be seeing three black wires, three white wires, and three ground wires One black wire will be the power source and the other two black wires will be running to whatever they run to… lights or fans or whatever device So you wire the black wire that’s constantly hot (power source wire) to the side of the switch with the tab on it (black screw) and the other two black wires will be wired the side of the switch with no tab on it the side with the brass screws.

Is that a flat blade screwdriver? Always wanted to see someone actually using one how it was intended to be used. Instead there's people stabbing others, thieves trying to break into something, you get the point. Nice informative simple to follow video sir. Sehr gut!!!

My buddy always taught me black to gold , you never go cold ( hot wire to gold screw ) so much for that lol

I'm assuming this would be the same manner of wiring a double switch if I wanted to add a bathroom exhaust fan (without a light) as the other "device" to an existing single light switch box . . . or are there other things to consider if the second device is an exhaust fan?

I’ve got a 220 in my well house running my well pump and was needing to put a 110 heater in it and was wondering if there is anyway I can reduce the 220 to 110. Thanks

Is there a special switch for this kind of job for DC power? I have solar panels that go into a grid tied inverter and when I don't want to send power into the house I have my solar panels connected to boost charge controller to charge my ebike. Right now I have to take the wires out every time, but I was hoping there's a switch I could change between the two, so one power source two different loads dc power. Hope that makes sense.

Hi, I did this exactly as stated for a ceiling fan so the fam and light each had their own switch. No remote, just pull strings. And they both turn on but when I turn the fan switch on, it turns the light off. Any idea what’s happening here?

I have a double switch and I want to replace the one gang box and add a two gang box to add receptacles. Can that be done? If so, do you have a video for that conversion? Thanks.

Sir sir sir the same setup yu hav but the hot goin from the top down Startin at the light how do yu go about that

Hello, Is it possible to connect if you don't have ground wires?

I only have a hot and a neutral going to my single switch that turns on/off both the light and the fan in my bathroom. Do I have enough wire to connect to separate switch?

okay so I have a switch that is currently controlling a light. I would like to swap the outlet for a double switch to control the light and a bathroom fan. Would I be using this but using that second black screw that you didn't use? I find wiring drawings easier to understand than seeing the wires personally.

What is the red wire a ground or neutral or hot

In my situation, the POWER is coming from the light fixture to the switch (one wire), the second wire is going from the switch to a receptacle. Previously the light was controlled by a pull string, I'm trying to install a new LED light and want to control it with the switch, but I also want the receptacle to have constant power. Can you help?

Should there be three neutral wires ?

You told me everything I need to know except the thing I need to know: How to remove the tab if I have two hots.

Great video. It all made perfect sense. Two questions. What is that kind of switch called? I’ve seen double switches and also double switches 3-way. Also, the red wire is from a 14-3 Romex cable, correct? I want to wire a ceiling fan with one switch controlling the fan and the other controlling the light. Thanks for your help

Hello There, Can you make a video on how to add a back to back from the same electric switch. one inside the house the the other outside in the balcony, thanks.

Awesome video! I guess i'm SOL if my switch box does not have a neutral and I want to install a smart switch that requires it? =\

i have a switch for a light. i want to replace the switch with a 2 socket plug that is always loaded. i have a pull string switch on the light. i hooked the hot wire and the neutral wire to the right side screws and the ground to the left side screw, not the green screw. is this ok and safe? thanx

Hello I was able to connect my top switch and bottom switch, however I could only have them on separate not together any advice

I think this will work for my situation?? I have two 3 way switches, one at top of stairs and one st the bottom but i only have 1 existing light fixture at top of stairs. I want to add a light fixture at bottom of stairs. Can someone tell how to do this? Running cable from the existing light at top of stsirs to new light at bottom of stairs isnt a possibility

Sir. I installed the switch as directed however only one button is working and still turns on both ceiling lights. I believe my problem surrounds the fact that there is a second switch on other side of the room. Based on this a need to change the switch out too. Your recommendation? Can I send you a photo of my old switch?

What type of wire is that with the red?

I did this but the top switch wouldn’t control anything and the bottom switch controlled the fan and light together. I have 3 black wires in my old switch. 2 of them were pigtailed and twisted together to connect to the bottom brass screw. And the other was connected normally.

Do you have a video that shows how to undo a double switch and replace with a regular switch and a timer switch, respectively?

What does it mean when they both work but the one switch has to be on for the other to work? i can turn the top light on and off , with top switch but if bottom is off they are both are off ?

I did this but the top switch wouldn’t control anything and the bottom switch controlled the fan and light together

I had a switch like this in my basement go bad. I pulled out the old one and it only had 3 wires. All black. The old switch didnt look anything like the new ones in the back. I broke off the tab thinking i needed to, so now i only have one working light. Haha Ill have to get another one and try this.

After I followed this video the top switch works both lights but the bottom does one. What did I do wrong?

What could cause my top switch to only work if the bottom is in the on position ?

My grandson replaced a double light switch for me. One works for the kitchen and one for the porch light. After he replaced it the bottom switch does nothing and the top switch is turning both on and off. How can we fix this?

OK I have a single switch operating basement lights (on and off) BUT It also sends the POWER to my kitchen light which is operated by two totally different switches!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The switch seems to have gone bad so my basement lights are not operating while the kitchen light works fine!!!!!!!!! The moment I started to disconnect the switch for replacement the kitchen lights went out!!

Dam I only have white black and ground no red

You should be using the correct electricians insulated screwdriver 🪛 😉 not a flathead.