On Dec 14, 7:35*pm, "RBM" wrote:
wrote in message

...
On Dec 14, 2:12 pm, "RBM" wrote:



"Mike" wrote in message

....

Hi there, folks. I'm not electrician, but I've changed out a fair
number of light switches and outlets in my house. I decided this past
weekend to swap out the dimmer switch in my dining room with a regular
light switch. I turned off the breaker (which controlled the light
switch and the gas stove and microwave which are on the other side of
the wall from the light switch I'm working on) and then removed the
light switch cover and unscrewed the simmer switch. There are 3 wires
coming out of the dimmer switch, 2 blacks and one uncovered (ground)
wire. One of the black wires coming out of the dimmer was connected
to 2 black wires. The other black wire coming out of the dimmer was
connected to a red wire and the ground to the ground. I was puzzled
about what to do with that extra black wire in the junction box. I
assumed it was the power going to the stove/microwave, so on the new
light switch, I connected both black wires to the black screw, then
attached the red wire to the gold screw on the new switch and
connected the ground to the green screen. All worked fine, though I
was confused for a bit about what to do with the extra black wire. Is
it a best practice to hook both black wires to the same screw on the
light switch?

Oh, one last chapter which was a bit scary. A little later I returned
to the newly installed light switch to apply the switch cover. I put
it on and noticed the switch was screwed on a bit too far which made
it not fit well into the cover. I took the cover back off and
unscrewed the screws holding the switch a couple turns. At some
point, my screw driver slipped off the screw and went into the
junction box and I got a spark and a pop. Scary indeed, but I didn't
feel any shock at all. Everything still worked, so I finished putting
the cover on. About 20 minutes later, the power to the house went
off. I went downstairs and switched off the breaker for the light
switch and turned the rest of the house back on. I took apart the
switch again and realized that when I caused the pop that the ground
wire had broken/snapped and the gold-colored screwed looked like it
had been burned (had a little black on it). I re-attached everything
and it works fine now. But it was a little frightening.

Mike

Nothing strange here, except you shouldn't have more than one wire wrapped
around a screw.

I'd say the power to the WHOLE house going off 20 minutes after he
caused the arc with the screwdriver is strange. * He also says
everything still worked immediately after the arc. * Normally, either
everything would continue to work or the breaker for the one circuit
would trip.

The two black wires should be pigtailed together with
another wire, which goes to the screw. The red wire is the load to the
light. The reason you didn't get a shock is because you never got between
the hot wire and the ground. Can say the same thing for your screw driver,
which obviously did get a shock- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Good point, I missed that part. OP didn't say what he was screwing with 20
minutes after he blew out the switch

When the power went out 20 minutes later, I was about to walk out the
door with the family. Doing nothing related to the botched light
switch operation at all. Bizarre. Anyhow, I'm about to do the
"pigtail" thing. That's precisely the answer I was looking for.
Thanks to you and everyone for the replies.

Mike