Installing
Convenience Devices

[lesson title]

INSTALLING BASIC SWITCHES

Plaster ears on a device keep it even with the mounted surface. They help keep the switch flat against the wall, even if the box is crooked. The ears can be broken off when not needed (Figure 1-5).

Figure 1-5.   Plaster ears

The elongated slot in the device's mounting bracket is designed to align the switch vertically. This will allow you to make the switch straight even when the box is not straight (Figure 1-6).

Figure 1-6.   Elongated slot

Switches come with mounting screws already attached. They are held in place with fiber washers (Figure 1-7).

Figure 1-7.   Mounting screws

Many devices have wiring holes to speed up the installation of conductors. This procedure is called back feeding or back wiring. When troubleshooting, examine the wiring holes for loose or poor connections. Wiring holes are used with solid wire only; good connections are not made with stranded wires. The electrical equipment being installed determines the size of the wire/conductor that can be back fed. Regardless of what the equipment recommends, never force a conductor into a device (Figure 1-8).

Figure 1-8.   Wiring holes

The strip gauge is an installation guide found on the back of some devices. It shows how much insulation should be removed from the conductors. The strip gauge is normally between 1/2 and 3/4 inch long. The length depends on the type of device and the manufacturer.

When back feeding, remember to check the length of the strip gauge. Make sure that you remove the proper amount of insulation from the conductor to make a good connection with the device (Figure 1-9).

Figure 1-9.   Strip gauge

If back feeding cannot be accomplished, screw loops must be used. To make screw loops, remove approximately 5/8 inch of insulation from the conductor. Grip the end of the conductor with needle-nose pliers, and bend the conductor to form a loop. When the conductor is placed around a screw, it must wrap in the direction the screw turns to tighten. This will cause the screw to pull the conductor in tight when the screw is tightened (Figure 1-10).

Figure 1-10. Screw loops

All electrical devices are marked with voltage and amperage ratings. Wattage, amperage, and voltage are all in direct relation to each other. To determine the wattage, use the formula voltage x amperage = wattage. Thus, to figure voltage, use the formula wattage divided by amperage = voltage. An easy way to remember this is to use the chart shown in Figure 1-11.

Figure 1-11.   Pie chart

To use this chart, insert the values you know and perform the mathematic calculation that is depicted. Example: A light uses 60 watts at 120 volts. How many amperes (amps) is it using? Insert the amounts for watts and volts. To get amps, you divide 60 by 120 and the answer is 0.5.

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