First Time Electrical Wizard

[Anonymous No.2444421]

Hey /diy/ actual retard here. I'm trying move this light switch to the other side of the wall and I've never done electrical work. I have two white, two black, and two ground wires. I disconnected all wires and put up a new gang box and attempted to reinstall the old switch. No matter how I connect these wires, everything lights for a second and then trips the breaker. What am I doing wrong?

[Anonymous No.2444422]

>>2444421
This is how I have them setup right now. Everything is working, but I can't turn off the light.

[Anonymous No.2444441]

This physically hurts me. If no one else has answered I’ll answer later tonight when I’m not at a stop light. Stop turning the breaker on.

[Anonymous No.2444446]

If you shorted a breaker, you are doing something dangerous. Stop. If this light is ON with wires connected as shown, with no switch installed... You just connect the simple switch between the ends of the two black wires now coupled in a wirenut. See youtube videos.

[Anonymous No.2444448]

calm down, man. most of us are working

1. kill the breaker
2. separate the 2 black wires
3. put each wire under a screw terminal and tighten it down
4. put the ground under the green screw and torque down
5. wrap electrical tape around the whole assembly
6. place into the box and screw down (even though your bracket looks fucked)
7. turn on the power

[Anonymous No.2444492]

>>2444422
Ok, this shows why the light stays on. The 2 blacks ( hot) are connected, the 2 whites ( neutral) are connected. This passes the power, as you saw.

Where you add the switch, between breaker and the light bulb, you’re going to put the switch between the two black wires. The switch will connect and disconnect power as desired. The two whites will get connected to each other. The two ground wires will be connected to each other as well. Grounds are also often connected to a metal switch box, receptacles, and/or a fixture like a light or fan

[Anonymous No.2444532]

>>2444441
Thanks.
>>2444446
I watched a few videos and Google some shit. That's where my confusion is coming from. Some videos say the white goes on top and others say the black goes on too. I've tried it both ways and had the same result. Another strange thing is that with the switch off the power stays on until the breaker trips. I'm not sure why.
>>2444448
That's what I did bro. Any idea how I could have fucked it up? I'll rewire it and post a picture.
>>2444492
Yeah I had to leave so I wired it like that. Do you know if the white or black goes on top? I tried both ways and had the same breaker tripping result.

[Anonymous No.2444533]

>>2444532
Forgot the picture

[Anonymous No.2444550]

>>2444421
It says which wires go to which terminal on the back of the switch.

[Anonymous No.2444558]

>>2444532
If you're watching a YouTube video that says connect the white wires to the terminals on the switch, do not watch that channel any more: they are idiots. I'm an idiot for replying to this bait, which I give a 2/10 for making me reply, but just .. damn.

[Anonymous No.2444583]

None of these pictures have a switch in the box.

[∆nonymous No.2444661]

>>2444448
>electrical tape around the whole assembly
Tapefag, nobody wants to clean your dirty ass adhesive in few years. Just put a cover on it and stop tapefagging.

[Anonymous No.2444781]

>>2444532
The switch will only have the two black wires. Either can be on top.
The whites are connected to each other. The whites carry the neutral, or retuning current, and that is never switched. ( sometimes white has to be used for hot, in which case the color is inked over to black, or wrapped in black tape to show its changeover in use to hot ).

Ummmm, the switch you’re using hastwo screws, and imprinted with “on”and “off”, right? Not one with three or four screws, not marked on / off … that’s a different kind ( a three-way ) from what you need.

[Anonymous No.2444799]

>>2444421
>>2444422
How delightfully primitive

[Anonymous No.2444864]

>>2444558
I'm not sure why you're saying this is bait. I'm really trying to fix this and clearly a fucking retard.
>>2444583
I bought a new switch today and installed it. Same issue.
>>2444661
That's how I found the switch. I put tape around it again.
>>2444781
That switch i had was the original switch and worked fine until I moved it. I bought a new switch in the same style but I'm having the same problem.
>>2444799
What do you mean?

[Anonymous No.2444865]

>>2444864
Take the white wires off. Twist them together. Apply cap. Twist on. Tape around so it’s secure.

Put one black wire on the pole where you currently have the white wires. Put the other black wire where you have the two black wires.

[Anonymous No.2444868]

>>2444864
>>2444865
The current travels through the black wire. The switch needs to interrupt the current. Right now you have two black wires touching each other so the switch has been bypassed, which is why the light turns on, the switch doesn’t work, and your breaker pops.

[Anonymous No.2444875]

>>2444865
Bro thank you so much. It's working now. All the shit I read and watched was wrong.

[Anonymous No.2444876]

>>2444868
Ah, that makes sense. Thank you for your help!

[Anonymous No.2444961]

>>2444421
Next time. Take a few pictures of shit before you take it apart.
Good job.

[Anonymous No.2446443]

>>2444875
>All the shit I read and watched was wrong.
"There are lies, damned lies, and the Internet."
- Winston Churchill

[Anonymous No.2447507]

>>2444961
Most valuable lesson to be learned here